"Just fine."
When people ask how I am...
"Just fine."
When they ask how I really am...
"Just fine."
And when I have an especially weak moment and begin to spill a little too much and then catch myself because I maybe and might be starting to sound a little whiny and I never ever want to sound whiny...
"I'm fine. It's fine. It's all going to be just fine."
So you should know that I made it through the holidays...
"Just fine."
With a tiny helping of not fine at all. And a very large portion of peaceful, beautiful and joyous.
And now I can check that off my list. Along with one full year of firsts "uncoupled". Phew.
So here we are with January 2013. A new year. And today my amazing friend leaves for Ukraine to begin the really long process of being away from her biological kids while she and her husband finish up the really long process of bringing their adopted kids home.
A minimum of 48 days in an unfamiliar country.
Unfamiliar faces,
Unfamiliar languages,
Unfamiliar foods,
Unfamiliar customs.
Really next to nothing familiar at all.
Forty-eight. Long. Days.
Not to mention it is really, really cold there.
I was able to have a conversation with her a few nights ago to find out how she was doing.
Tired? Yes.
Anxious? Yes.
Overwhelmed? Absolutely.
Scared? A little.
Excited? Very much so!
We talked about the unknowns, the uncertainties, the hopes, the dreams, the fears. And so many emotions in so little space.
And how it's all going to be...
"Just fine."
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Fast forward to last night.
My sister called to chat for a minute while she and her family made the long drive to a Justin Bieber concert in a city far from her own. (Yes, that's right. Justin Bieber. She is five years older than me. And I am openly and unashamedly jealous about this road trip destination. More than a little.)
She told me about some of the hectic, busy and overwhelming things that seem to constantly exist in her life. I don't know how she does it all. Really. I would never want to be her.
But as we finished up the conversation she said...
"It's great. It's all going to be just great."
I had to giggle a little about how similar that was to my "Just fine. It's all going to be just fine". And I quickly realized how much more fun it sounds to be "just great".
So today as my friend gets on her flight, and then the next leg of her flight, and then the next leg of her flight, till she ends up in the city where she will board a train that takes her to her kids, I am changing my ways. I wish her the all the best in this next difficult stage of her journey - safe travels, hopeful and joyful days amid the lonely and missing days, happy reading... and reading... and reading...
And the reassurance that from day 1 to day 48 it is NOT going to be fine at all.
Instead it will be great. It's all going to be just great!
_____________________________________________________
You can check up on the adoption progress and follow her travel adventures at this link.
http://truaxadoptionadventure.blogspot.com/
And while they have raised a huge amount of money they are still in need.
Any support you can lend would be greatly appreciated.
My husband's mission included Mariupol, Ukraine. He and the other missionaries volunteered at some of the orphanages. What an amazing thing to do and what a blessing in those children's (and your friend's family's) lives! What wonderful, generous people.
ReplyDeleteI've taken to responding to the question "How are you?" with "Fantastic!" It catches people off-guard, and, I hope, gives me a reason to be a little more than "fine."
ReplyDelete