It’s Thursday night…already?!… I crawled in bed at 3:00 am on Monday. Woke up at 5:30. Got up with the kids at 7 to chat and see them off to VBS. Told Scott some stories. Ran to Sara’s to download pictures. Took Will to his golf tournament. Picked up Cali at a friend’s. Went to Will’s baseball game. Crawled in bed and shut off the light at 9:02. Tuesday, I worked at the golf course. The evening was spent enjoying friendship at the Haroldson home for Megan’s grad party. Wednesday, I hung out at a pool with some great girlfriends celebrating a 40th birthday (again!)…that gets us to today…already… I worked a few hours for my sister-in-law, ran home to pay a few bills, picked up the kids at SkyZone where they had a VBS Volunteer party, dropped Will at home to get ready for a 4:00 pick-up and a 6:30 game in Andover (other side of the world for you non-Minnysotans), dropped off 2 of Cali’s friends who needed rides home, went to a friend’s to share some stories and pics of my trip, back home to pick up Cali in time for hockey practice.  WHEW! Now, I have 10 minutes left until she gets off the ice (I did sneak to McDonald’s for a hot fudge sundae immediately after dropping her at the rink door!)

All this to say…re-entry has been… back to reality. It’s just so weird that I was hanging out with our son in another country a week ago… and after all the anticipation of going, plus the time spent there, it’s just over.  It’s kinda sad really!I find myself thinking about Vinny tons- placing him with us in the car, on the bed chatting, dragging him along to games and practices, wondering what he did today now that we are gone and his school is finished for the summer, what Will and Cali will think of spaghetti for breakfast and fried plantains, rice and beans for lunch, hoping Scott and I can travel with David and Doreen when we have to go back for our court date (maybe in the fall!), wondering what we could do or get done at the school when we go, praying about our church and friends and family maybe joining us in our dream to keep Vinny’s school open for years to come, how we could raise funds and partnerships to make it happen… the list could go on and on.

It’s been fun talking with friends and family about our trip…for as much as I didn’t have many expectations- I don’t think it could have gone any better. I felt that Vinny and I made a genuine connection! I really really LIKED him! I ate Haitian food with no problem! We all stayed safe & healthy (well, with a couple minor issues on the day we traveled home)! Our team got along GREAT! Sara was an incredible leader! The Lord was gracious to us and paved the way for a really great 4 days with Rock, the boys, and all the people we hung out with along the way.

The coolest part to me was the way the Davensly deferred to me and Stanley deferred to Doreen…even with the other adults around…and as we all hung out together in a group almost always.  The boys get it.  And they seem to like it. WHEW! That’s a huge relief!  Gotta go- the whistle has blown! Thanks to all of you who are keeping up with the blog and for bearing with my randomness and wordiness at times.  xo

p.s. Scott made it to Will’s game on the way home from a work day in Duluth- I hear they won 3-2 and my boy made a sweet running catch in left field and doubled up a kid at second base. 🙂  Way to go, buddy!  I wonder if Vin got to play some soccer today?!