Long Day.....

       For the last couple of weeks I've had some stuff on my mind. You know, packing, planning, replanning and repacking etc etc etc..... Somewhere in there I was stupid. I forgot to remind myself of one fact of this trip and it hit me square in the face first thing this morning. The plan today was that my bother would leave his house at around 4am and drive the 200 miles from RI over our house here in NY. We would then drive the four hours to JFK in time for them to make their 2:00pm flight.  Alan (my brother) arrived on time, a little early even. We gathered up all the luggage and went to leave. That is when I hit in the face with this:

                           
          This is my brother's car.  More importantly is that it was my father's car. It has not been in my driveway since the last time my Dad drove it here which was undoubtedly the last time my Dad was ever here. My Dad died two days before Christmas in 2008. Three months after he was diagnosed with ALS but 8 months after we all already knew what was happening to him. My mom followed him in 2.5 years later. Seeing this in my driveway literally took my breath away. I should have remembered that most likely it is what my brother would have driven over but I didn't think about it. The thing is I live 3 hours away from where I grew up where my parents lived, where my brother still lives. I don't have to face the daily reminders of them that are everywhere over there, driving by their house, my mom's church, things like that. I can neatly put all that stuff on the back burner in my head a just deal with my life here. I rarely go to RI anymore and when I do I'm prepared and I avoid certain places like their house, too many memories, too overwhelming. So, this morning in a flash I find myself a basket case of emotion because of this damn car. The day was already big enough on its own, I did not need this at all. It makes me spend too much time thinking about how much I miss things like this:

                                     
           And how much I wish they could be here for my new little guys. They would have loved them like crazy. My brother and I talked about it on the drive to the airport. Last time, they were waiting for me at the airport to come from from Ukraine. I hope they are watching. I hope they are along for the ride. This was a hard day for me, all those hours alone in the car after I dropped off Mike and Al too much time to dwell on what was. I'm glad to be home now so I can shake it off.
         Ok, on the happier things, Mike and Al got off ok. I dropped them at the airport around 11:30 and the flight was leaving as I said before at 2. I'm hoping that he is able to get a wifi connection and drop me an email or something tomorrow. No worries, he will when he can. I know he is going to handle this all like a pro. They both will. I sent two very adoption savvy guys on this mission! My brother has adopted as well. So, these boys are in good hands. The plan is arrive 8pm on Thursday China Time. Friday, I set them up with a guide for the Great Wall. I pray they get great weather so they can alpine slide down. (Mike was REALLY looking forward to that) Friday night its an overnight train to Xi'an. They will spend a couple of days touring around Xi'an before Sunday. Thats D-day or M-day, the day they get Marek! They get to Hefei on the 30th where they get Kyle on Halloween. On to Guangzhou on the 2nd. Visa's for the boys on the 6th then home on the 8th.