Greetings from seat 40E somewhere above Georgia...in the USA! I offer no guarantees that what you are about to read will be coherent, factoring in just a handful of hours we've been traveling by one means or another.
WiFi on the plane, what a modern world. In fact, I have a feeling modernity (or post-modernity, as it were) is about to give us a bit of a slap in the face. We haven't been gone all that long, and Chile is a modern place...but we didn't exactly live like some of the rest of you Jetsons families!
Today is Thursday. We left Temuco last Sunday. Sunday night we were in Primavera. We hit the road early Monday in the fog. Monday night was spent in Santiago. The plan was to spend Tuesday night on a plane and arrive Wednesday. That was until the first of a few little travel glitches manifested themselves. They canceled our flight. Nothing to do but wait a day. So, the amended plan had us spend Tuesday night in Santiago and Wednesday night on a plane headed for Atlanta.
In Santiago, we had ample time at the airport...good thing! After wrestling through a notably long line to check-in our 12 items, we then took our other 10 items to the international police. A rather snippy, unhelpful man behind a window sent us out of line and into another speaking about proof that Jessica and I are the parents of our children. He didn't care to see the birth certificates or Chilean issued identification cards that show them as my dependents. I could try and describe the strange feeling of extra heat in my head or the uptick in my heartbeat as we fandangled our way through all that, but suffice it to say that man number two behind a window was nice enough and they decided to let us out of the country.
The kids were absolutely AMAZING: following instructions, being patient (although overflowing with questions and comments), and to top it off they slept almost the whole way to Atlanta.
Ah, Atlanta. It would've been nice to feel like we were actually there but, simply put, that 1 hour and change was a blur! Our flight arrived late and left us very little time to pass through customs with 22 items, 2 kids under 6 and a pregnant wife! We even had a talk with the nice lady and her sniffing beagle who was rather interested in the breakfast sandwiches we attempted to salvage for the kids. Nope.
I admit, I broke a rule when I pretended not to hear one rather directive lady instruct me to take my stroller on the elevator instead of the escalator. But I had no time for such nonsense! And besides, the only passenger in that stroller was a carry-on bag, not the precious cargo of one of my children. In the end, we bobbed and weaved our way to the gate (figures it would be about as far away as possible!) and pulled up among a small crowd of other folks, wiping their brows and breathing as if they'd just beat old flash-bang-lightning-bolt-what's-his-name in the 100 meter dash.
And that brings us to 40E and free WiFi. Boden and Jessica are asleep again, and Adrielle is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the snacks and drinks.
The Lord has been with us and we are praising Him for abundant provisions of grace over these days of transition. May He be glorified in our efforts left behind in Chile, in airport hustling and sweaty traveler armpits, and in our bodies as living sacrifices.
If we don't get around to telling you because we're soaking in the joys of being together again with family, HAPPY NEW YEAR. May 2011 bring about great advances for the Kingdom of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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