Leaving behind the Tar Heels Tue, 24 Jun 2008
Once again it has been a while with no updates, no report on the status of this traveler yabo. I wonder now where the inspiration for this one might begin. Perhaps some weeks ago in the early hours with a knock and the entrance of my little nephew to my not so humble sleeping quarters. With a big smile he mumbled softly, “Skyler,” to my half-asleep carcass and proceeded to climb up on the bed next to me. It is difficult to express my joy at his speech and being awakened from slumber by it. With still much bigger smile the little treasure then proceeded to square himself above me. Under the influence of only partial consciousness I prepared myself for his jump not realizing the efficiency of his positioning. Amazing that one so small can be so aware of where to strike. Boney bottom first the little fellow jumped and landed his direct hit right to my groin then quickly descended from the bed and returned to mamma with great glee at his success. Left me of course to writhe in early morning agony and wonder at the many gifts of uncledom.
Oh, yet another wonderful note to begin from. As you may well know I have departed once more, yet again with much pain of heart but awareness of purpose and necessity. My journeying in Europe yet continues with my arrival to Poland last Thursday after some Paris airport sprints and an overwhelming yet thankfully short period of exhaustion.
It was from North Carolina and my youngest sister and family that I departed. A month of activity in sharing the joy of their new home and the joy of my sister’s thankfully jobless new lifestyle. I have never had the opportunity to share so much with the Willis (the family surname) clan or become such a part of the daily goings on. Those goings ons including voluntary servitude that consisted of bakery frequency bread making and the scorching of my dainty digits through repeated dish washings. But those joys were merely icing on the cake of my time of travel in that gorgeous state. Rolling about in the kids’ new bouncing castle, watching with awe the early days of Faith’s learning to read, trying to make my weak bladder bearing sis laugh till the soiled trouser reached levels of saturation, and a spree of intense conversations of life, liberty and large blocks of smelly cheese with my sister’s hubby Ken.
I shall remember great joy from those days; late nights watching the few comedies that can tickle my insides; long drives through some of the most beautiful countryside I have yet seen; sitting beneath a waterfall with Ken and wondering whether skin remained on my tender rear parts; and playing games with the children where I was not allowed to be the mean shark trying to grab them but rather the nice shark that cared only for hugs and encouragement. Thankfully, this time even included a short trip to visit Taryn and Adam and their growing family. I have rarely mentioned my long time South African friend and her family but there has always been great joy for me in visiting with her and she has always been one who inspired my faith and the knowledge that one’s whole life can be lived in relationship to Christ. I am so thrilled to see the growth of her family and the commitment and joy they exude to the life of their children.
On the road of life in constant love relationship with Jesus there are certainly no mistake occurrences and my time in North Carolina and short visit with Taryn bear no exception. I am indeed eternally loved and to share that love with my family and friends is the great joy that fills and encourages my life. Its only sorrow at times has been that departures come so frequently and never are overcome without the sadness of knowing that much time may pass before I might again be among them.
The “first two weeks” photo album includes our journey to Tweetsie, the little engine that could, as well as a few from the kid’s birthday party and a few of their house. The “strawberry picking” album includes just that as well as those from our journey south to the Pisgah National Forest and all its valley, waterfall, and mountaineous beauty. The new “short visit” starts of with a few of Adam and Taryn and family and some from my last days with Aran. The album “Aran’s contributions” lastly includes pictures from throughout including the kids’ gym time and from our various triparoonies.