Great Rewards

It’s hot here. It’s getting to me. I was all fine with it until about June 1st. Then I guess I’d just had enough of the 24/7 air conditioning, the instant sweating when I stepped outside, and the lack of fresh air. And it’s the end of the school year, so I’m worn out. And I’m pushing through my own school work to reach my first year goals before our summer vacation. So, I guess I hit a wall.

But, did you hear that little ray of hope there? Summer. Vacation.

On July 10th we will hop on a direct flight from Abu Dhabi to Rome and begin our 35 day European adventure! I hardly know how to describe my excitement. Sometimes I catch myself staring at a wall and smiling because I’m daydreaming about our plans. I have dreamed of these destinations since I was a teenager, heard of other people’s world travels, and sat with my unquenchable desire to see new places, knowing it was not something we could afford. But lo and behold, our lives took a drastic turn, fraught with challenge and tears, and now we find ourselves rewarded in multiple ways. Personal growth, spiritual growth, a broader perspective, a tighter family bond, altered life focus, new and enriching relationships, less financial burden, and the gift of seeing the world.

So, when we get off the plane on the 10th, we will immediately catch a train down to Salerno, Italy on the Amalfi coast. We will have 5 days there, followed by 5 days in Rome, 5 days in Florence, 5 days in Venice, 5 days in Ljubljana, Slovenia, 5 days in Werfenweng, Austria, just outside of Salzburg, and 5 days in Augsburg, Germany, just outside of Munich. …  There I go with that staring at the wall and smiling thing again. Dream. Come. True.

Like I told a friend today, after we land and I get outside, rain or shine, the first thing I’m going to do is take a good, long, deep breath of fresh air. Even if it’s not fresh, it won’t be 47 degrees and it won’t burn my nostrils to breath deeply. And then I hope to not go inside for 5 weeks. Well, maybe to sleep. And to see the Sistine Chapel and Michaelangelo’s David and all that dreamy stuff. And I’m going to wear tank tops in public. Scandalous. I’ll probably feel half naked. And I’m going to OD on sausage, bacon, ham, and all things pork. And then I’ll probably need medical attention.

And then you know what? In August I will be just as excited to return home to Al Ain, because I know I’ll miss our lovely little apartment and this beautiful, crazy country. And I’ll be ready to dive back into homeschool and friendships and my school work and routine. But for now, I have 20 more days of staring at walls until we go and dig into one of our great rewards.