There are a million moments from this week that I never want to forget:
The moment that, while running on a dark cold Tuesday morning, Seonjin and I found ourselves, in an instant, flat on the ground, clotheslined at the knee by an unexpected fence. We have bruises this week and I laugh out loud each time I flench in pain. In the moment I thought, “Too bad no one was around to enjoy that view!”
The moment that I realized that Saad, our flying monkey, was dancing a frenzied hop on the front porch while taking a smoke break before the Halloween festivities got into full swing. There he bounced, waving to every single staring car that inched by. In the moment I thought, “If we do stuff like this too often the city may just buy us a fence to keep us IN.”
Our beaming boy as his “Frankenstein's monster” gourd made it into the finalists.
The four hundred moments that I have taken time to enjoy Lucy's speech that is ever so lacking in “s” sounds. One day there will be no more, “'picy” food, “cary 'piders”, “out in the 'treets”, “big 'ticks”, “ “'poons” and “everyone goes to 'chool but ME” . And speaking of pronunciation – Alsi is leaving and I am going to miss all her “t'inking” and “vater” and “vells...”... Oh, I will miss them.
And I never want to forget the moment she asked when we would visit her and when we honestly faced the reality together of our roads parting for good. We made all our plans to Skype in for her wedding – and pick up where we left off, someday,– and knowing we love one another none-the-less for it.
I don't want to forget Sunday morning when I taught 2 Japanese girls to make Sushi. It may have been my proudest culinary moment. Ever.
Looking over the congregation at church and thinking – “We Americans are out numbered. What happened?”
Our entire household in plastic hair nets and aprons – packing food for Somalia... but only after Lucy had sufficiently shaken each package. We were beautiful Saturday.
The moment when Seonjin finally caved and began to enjoy being the “bad witch” even with the dermatologically damaging face paint. And the moment she told me in complete honesty that I was kidding myself if I thought my face only had ONE ugly blemish. Maybe I need daily green face paint.
The moment the Saudi's insisted on buying bag after bag of candy and treats for Halloween – for the “festival”. “We like this festival – for you – happy Haloween – it's ok, it's ok!”
I don't want to forget the moments where Jarod and I actually sat down and talked about how we wouldn't trade this life for anything... but we have got to figure out a way to catch each other with more than a “hi and bye” from one week to the next. I don't want to forget that we are working on a game plan here and that it is important to each of us.
A friend over coffee, reminding me to breath: a friend on the phone laughing at my darkest thoughts – knowing they were fleeting. That grace.
I don't want to forget that Jude finally voiced that he does, “love school – just hate getting up so early!” - we can work with that. Really – not a problem.
Kingson as a Ninja was classic. Next to the American Nome family was even better.
My mom in full Saudi garb... I really thought she was beautiful!
The aimless teenage neighbor boy down the street beginning to catch a vision for the world through our home brings hope.
When the Saudis handed a Korean guest a cup of steaming tea, and she inhaled a thrilled breath and then in her most complimentary voice said, “ah, this smells like a public bathroom!” Yes – that was priceless. Of course she meant that it smelled like an aromatic spa – but still for the moment, I thought, “you did NOT just say that!” But she did. Our house is full of things none of us should ever say – but it works anyway. And that grace – I never want to forget.
Asli as Dorthy in a Kansas field at sunset.
The whole Wizard of Oz crew laughing in my parent's driveway.
Tony's family name carved in a pumpkin, readying it to take a picture to send to his son – us both silently wishing he was at our side... down on the floor with my flying monkey.
Enough Pumpkins on our porch to make the mail man stumble.
Watching the first snow of the year through the door of Jude's class with 20 excited little ones who were “trying to focus” on math.
My husband, at the end of one of the longest weeks ever, standing tall amongst 40 screaming kids on a Wednesday night... smiling - truly happy... when I know he'd rather be anywhere else on earth.
It's been one of those weeks... one of those very good long weeks.