Day 8, Summer in Asia ~ Driving from Columbia to Chicago
We spent our last couple of days in Columbia doing a bit more shopping, cutting the girls’ hair, going to see the Mummy sequel, more Andy’s Frozen Custard, and not rock climbing. When we got to the rock climbing place it was a bit too hard core for us beginners with no tethers or harnesses. They said you could shift a gray mattress around where you predicted you may fall. I thought the girls should go for it, but luckily they are all more responsible than I, and unanimously decided to stay injury free for the next couple of months.
After multiple visits to Plato’s Closet, we needed to send our first package home. We are staying as portable as possible with one small 15-pound knapsack each. Part of the fun after returning home is opening the packages we’ve sent to ourselves from all over the world.
Glad we carved out a week to see my Dad and Sandy. They always make a huge effort with the girls and I appreciate how they dote on them. Always difficult to say good bye to an older parent because you never know.
This morning we left before the sun was up, to drive to Chicago and drop our rental car. Then off to Qatar we go, our first stop.
We stopped in St. Louis, were I lived from when I was 6 months old until I left home at 16. The house I lived in next to the Bethesda Mennonite Church, where my dad was a preacher, was demolished long ago. But the little house I lived in on Airway Avenue, despite three fires, still stands. It looks smaller and prettier than I remember it, which may sound weird when you see the photo. It would be dishonest to say I have a lot of happy memories from this house. But I did enjoy many hours in the cherry tree and on the roof.
I also got to show the girls my elementary, middle, and high school. The house seemed smaller, the schools, bigger!
We met Paul in the Chicago airport. He was at a business conference in Indy. Finally, the whole fam is together again so we can do this. Cali and I were reminded how patient we must be to travel, and waited 40 minutes for a falafel. Just gotta roll with whatever’s going on.
Having those pre-trip butterflies. Excited for whatever’s coming!
Here we are leaving Chicago and our plane.The second the girls are seated on the plane they are culling the entertainment options. They always travel with a plethora of their own downloaded content, books, movies, whole seasons of shows. I used to schlep around bags of books for them–I’m loving technology!
Here they are looking at what’s offered on the plane and planning their entertainment line-up.
