My life is picking up speed at January 7th (and my departure for South Africa) draws near. Preparing for the holidays as kept me considerably busy but I have managed to squeeze in a few adventures this month.
December kicked off with a weekend at my friend Lindsay's in South Salem, CT. I took a bus from Boston to Danbury where Lindsay and her little man picked me up. The rest of the weekend was spent in utter relaxation. We cooked (and subsequently ATE) great food, watched TV, googled just about everything we could think of, laughed pretty much non-stop and entertained her adorable little babe. The weekend was everything I needed it to be. On sunday we drove to New Hampshire together. Lindsay was visiting her parents for the week so we coincided my stay with her visit so she would have company for the long ride. 3+ hours with a baby, tons of equipment and a dog that could easily be mistaken for a dinosaur is no small task. Crammed and chaotic as it was, we had a great time playing car games, eating oreos and counting Christmas Trees on passing cars. We were up to 53 when we reached my house.
I also made a trip to Hamilton, Mass to stay with Caroline's parents. When they heard of my acceptance of the job in Cape Town they insisted on taking me out for dinner. I took a train to the north shore on Monday the 14th. Mickey, Caroline's mom, picked me up and gave me a brief tour of the gorgeous coast and their cozy, very new england, home.
We ventured to Singing Beach which gets its name for the squeaky noise the sand makes when you step on it. I was told some time back that this noise has something to do with the sand being derived from glaciers, but I never looked into in any further. This also happens to be the place where Caroline and Nick will be wed in June. One of the "cons" to my taking the job in Cape Town is missing this wedding. I was very grateful to have seen the beach club where the ceremony an reception will take place.
During my stay, I also visited and explored Rockport, Gloucester, Manchester (by the sea) and countless other adorable beach towns along the north shore. For dinner Trip, Caroline's father, met us in town..with flowers for both Mickey and I. So very sweet! The Hargraves were incredibly generous, hospitable, and share in our enthusiasm and respect for Child Life. It was helpful to hear their perspective on Caroline being away from home for so long. It helped me to understand how my own family might be and may feel during my absence.
We ended the night with a visit from Nick, Caroline's fiance, and rowdy game of backgammon! They also presented me with a journal, a planner, and a book about a Botswana Safari guide for my trip. So incredibly thoughtful! Staying with the Hargraves added a realness to my adventure and connected me further to Caroline and out mission for Child Life and the hospital. I know it must have helped all of them feel more connected as well. Mickey gave me a card and a gift to present to Caroline upon my arrival. A gesture to hopefully ease their last few months apart before Caroline returns home.
Smaller adventures have included spending time with friends and family. I'm beginning to feel the weight of my trip as I consider saying my goodbyes and begining preparations for departure. In situations like this, you realize how many wonderful people are in your life and how much there support and love influences everything you do. It is these people and their undying love that gives me strength and courage to be so adventurous. They are the base on which I stand and allow me to reach great heights.
A Quote from a Disney Short Film Lindsay and I watched:
"Sometimes your up and sometimes your down.
When you find that your down, well just look around.
You still got a body, good legs and fine feet.
Get your head in the right place and, hey, you're complete!
...you can reach great heights. In fact, you can soar.
Just get a leg up and you slap it on down.
You find that you're up in what's called the bound.
Bound, bound, and rebound"
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