Reconnecting with Cheryl's Family

Thursday, August 6, 2009

We have definitely entered the fast-paced American lifestyle and finding time to write is more difficult. Time is flying by and we only have three weeks left in the US before returning to Zambia. I am still having a hard time believing it is August already. I am sitting on an airplane on our way to Spokane to spend time with Peter’s family. I thought I better blog the last few weeks before the fun and memories begin for the next two.

We love vacationing at the Central California coast. For several years, we have joined up with Kevin (my brother) and his family, as well as my parents, and spent a week in Morro Bay. The time flies by, even more so now that our kids are older and entertain themselves nicely. One morning we all went kayaking in the bay alongside sea lions who would suddenly surface for air close to our boats.

Another day we were at Pismo Beach, enjoying the sandy beaches and sunshine. The kids played in the water and boogie boarded on the waves.

The last day we braved the cold wind at San Simeon but a hike out on the peninsula gave us a bit of reprieve from the chilly weather. On our way home, we stopped to view the elephant seals which gather on a certain beach nearby. Even with all this activity, there was still plenty of time to talk, play games, put together a puzzle, view pictures from our time together in Zambia last summer, and hear what the heck Peter’s dissertation is all about. You may have guessed that talking about his dissertation was not Peter’s idea but the family was clamoring to hear so he obliged and it was very interesting (and not because I am biased).

We returned from Morro Bay and used the five days to spend more time with friends and continue shopping. Thai food with good friends one night, a spontaneous BBQ with more friends another night, celebrating the “Kidneyversary” of another set of friends one of whom donated his kidney to our other friend and gave her the gift of life. And another evening was spent with friends who were missionaries in Africa for thirty years who were able to share their wisdom and perspective with us, which we found helpful and encouraging. In between all these engagements, we found time to be with my parents and the boys helped my dad build a planter for Mom’s flowers. And, of course, we continue to do our best to stimulate the American economy. We’ve ordered most of it off the internet so everyday packages are delivered to our house. We already had a list of things we wanted to purchase when stateside but that list grew exponentially when our car was stolen. Sigh.

Soon we found ourselves in Fresno and we packed a lot into just a few days. Here are the highlights:

• Rhonda and I took the kids to a magician show at the public library. I miss free events like this that are kind of cheesy and entertaining at the same time. You know it is sad when I am laughing almost uncontrollably at the magician’s lame jokes but it didn’t help that Rhonda was in giggles beside me. We weren’t the only ones in stitches. I think the kids laughed the entire time as well.
• We spent Saturday in the Sierra Nevada Mountains since we had to pick up my nephew from Camp Keola. We saw a deer and two fawns by the side of the road which was exciting. Brendan and Jason were just as excited about seeing chipmunks, which lucky for them, were everywhere. Even chipmunks are fascinating when you haven’t seen any for two years. We had a picnic lunch then hiked a mile to Rancheria Falls, which was long enough for the kids to complain but not long enough for the whining to drive us crazy. We slid down the embankment to a pool of water below the falls and waded in the creek and threw rocks over the ledge where the river progressed down the canyon. After Victoria Falls, everything pales in comparison, but Rancheria Falls had its own beauty and it was a very pleasant outing.
• Sunday we attended College Community Mennonite Brethren Church, the congregation where I was raised and baptized. We shared a bit during the Adult Education hour and enjoyed visiting with friends.
• Monday was spent at a water park called “Wild Waters” and we had a great time even though the bottoms of our feet were raw by the end of the day due to the hot and rough cement we walked on all day. Kevin took me on a few of the extreme rides and he now has more memories to mock me with. On one of rides, you ride an innertube down a ramp that shoots you back up the other side and then you go back and forth on this ramp until you stop. The first drop is significant and I started out screaming until the force of the drop yanked my head backwards where it remained until I went up the other side and began to go back down, where I could continue with my scream. I can imagine I looked very funny with my head thrown back and my scream interrupted mid-stream. But I probably got a bit of whiplash because my neck muscles were very sore for the next few days. It was worth it to prove to Brendan that his old mom can still do a few crazy things.
• In between outings, Peter connected with a few professors from our days at Fresno Pacific University. We had dinner one night with my college mentor and her husband. And I squeezed in a visit with my childhood friend but the time was really too short.
• The boys had so much fun with their cousins. The wii was out of commission the last few days forcing them to spend more time playing basketball and jumping on the trampoline. Kevin and Rhonda have a beautiful black lab who loves to play fetch with a ball. When he returns the ball to the kids, he puts his front paws on the trampoline and drops the ball there so the kids can jump and play fetch with him at the same time. The dog is brilliant, I’m telling you.
• Kevin, Rhonda, Peter and I went to bed around midnight every night talking and playing a new game we got called “Ticket to Ride.” Time went by fast, as it tends to do when you know you won’t see each other again for another two years. But our bodies aren’t used to so much activity and so little sleep so we are feeling a bit tired these days. I keep thinking we will have time to relax and have quiet evenings in Zambia so we will enjoy this level of activity while we can.

We only have three weeks left before we return to Zambia. We find ourselves thinking and talking about our return more and more. There are still mornings where I wake up remembering something else that was in our car that is now gone forever and I am left feeling like I was socked in my stomach. But we don’t want to have the theft be what we think of when Zambia comes to mind. It has been good to talk to people here about our experience serving with MCC in Zambia. We are encouraged when people say things like, “Thank you for serving in this way on behalf of all of us.” We are encouraged when people validate our experiences and listen to us complain and voice our struggles. We are also encouraged when people are excited about the work we are doing when it has become mundane and common to us.

The last few months in Zambia were hard ones for us because of both external circumstances and internal dynamics. A friend reminded us that no matter the length of your term, most service workers undergo culture shock again at the halfway point. So I think that accurately reflects some of the difficulties of the last few months. That certainly helps put things in perspective and makes it easier to return.

Home leave has helped me realize again that people struggle with some of the same things no matter where you live: church, connection, parenting, using resources wisely. It was easy to idealize some things about the US when we are on a different continent but I'm hoping that I can be more content with certain things when I go back to Zambia. It is good to recognize that some of things are just part of life and not unique to you.

So we will enjoy all the blessings of time with family, friends, and abundance that we have here in the US but we are not dreading our return. That is an answer to prayer. Soon we will be landing in Spokane where we will be pampered and blessed even more. The boys are excited to see their grandparents and the rest of the relatives. They aren’t the only ones.