Thursday, June 24, 2010

Middle East Reunion

The suitcases are all gone and the fridge is starting to look a little bare again.  There are fewer arms to console li'l Cooper and the front door is clear of the pile of shoes once stumbled over.  Yesterday, I ran by Safeway to grab some diapers (imagine!) and found myself wandering the aisles.  I realized I wasn't looking for anything in particular, my eyes just seemed to be searching for familiar shapes or letters as if I was suddenly plunged into an alien world, devoid of what was comfortable.  I missed those faces & voices from home.
We ran like hounds for two very solid weeks.  Who was crazy enough to create that schedule?  At one point, I thought, "Man, I haven't spent too much time with anyone since they've been here."  An odd idea seeing as we seemed to spend every waking moment on the run from one site or event to another.  When we weren't on the road, the tour guide (um... that would be me) was feverishly plotting the next move.
But what fun we had!  And what sights we saw!  And what bags we carried under our eyes as our feet ground the gravel of yet another holy shrine or magnificent wonder of our world!  It was an amazing race across the Holy Land on both sides of the river.  I've posted the pictures from our various side trips and from Jerusalem
So, I'm grateful we all got off with nothing broken and only minor wear & tear.  Nobody walked off a cliff or in front of a bus.  There were no riots in either city, although we missed one by nary an hour as we returned to Amman.  The trip wasn't perfect, but it was full of memories that'll keep us talking for years to come.
As Mom would say, "Now, kids, we've been there, you know!"

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