Thursday, June 16, 2011
Today was a hard day for me. I knew the family would be leaving about 6:30pm for their 9:45pm flight from Shanghai to LAX. They would spend the night in LA and then head out for Dallas on Friday.
This morning at 11am, Michael, Kenneth, Chris, and Jennifer would all be enjoying a nice foot massage at the Dragon Fly Spa. When we had left there on Tuesday, I had made appointments for them. It seemed unfair for Marcy and I to have enjoyed 2 foot massages during their visit and Jennifer had gone to the Aquarium on that day… and the guys had not had one at all!! Michael had made lots of noise about getting one, but every time I suggested I make him an appointment, he was too busy. Well there would be no out this time… they are going and that was that! And afterwards they should go to Element Fresh for a nice lunch… and while they were so close to the Carrefour… I needed a couple of things for the baked ziti we would be having for dinner.
Marcy and I would hold down the fort here at the apartment while the spa team relaxed. The kids were actually very good most of the day. We ordered pizza for them for lunch and they could not have been happier. Thank goodness for DVD’s and wii games. The weather was miserable so no going out for them.
Marcy was wanting to go back to the market and so were the guys. Each had their eye on something they thought had their name on it. But when Michael and Jennifer came back in without the guys, Marcy was surprised. She had been waiting for them before going back to the market, but they had gone already. So she, Bailey and Kendall lit out to find them. But evidently they never found each other, but no matter, they all managed to find and purchased those last minute things they wanted.
Everyone was rushing around trying to finish the last minute packing. Stripping the beds and collecting the dirty towels to bring up for the wash. There was a kind of silence going on. I had been blinking back the tears most of the afternoon. Every time I allowed myself to think about their leaving I would puddle up.
Marcy came into the kitchen and said… “I guess our leaving is kinda bitter sweet”. It was all I could do to hold back the flood gates. With all the noise and chaos for the past 11 days… the non-stop cooking and washing… I still did not want them to be leaving. There are no more pictures of our adventures together in China to share.
We managed to get through dinner and the girls cleaned up the kitchen. But everyone was watching the clock and knowing that the bus would be here too soon. We would not be going all the way to the airport. There was not enough room in the bus for luggage, all of them and us too. We would be saying our goodbyes on the steps of the building here.
In a few short hours there would be a quiet that would be difficult to bear. The time had passed far too quickly. Silently I wanted to be on that airplane going home too. I think Michael was feeling the same too. This goodbye was as hard to endure as when we left in February.
The tears flowed freely as each of the grandkids got their hugs and kisses. Both daughters are tearing just watching the kiddos…knowing it would be their turn soon. So with all the hugs and kisses done and everyone loaded safely on the bus… they pulled away and out of sight.
Oh my… I do not have the words to express what we are feeling… the missing them and knowing this visit will have to last us until January when we go home for Jason’s wedding. I just pray that God will protect them as they make their journey home.
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