Not the beginning...

but somewhere in the middle.

Andy left today.  In true West African (at least for Togo) style, we woke up to no power and the trusty bus he was taking broke down before it even got to us.  We woke up early with the kids (because they wanted to see him off, wave good-bye like in the movies as he watches through a window).  The bus really is more reliable than other forms of transport around here.  It's the post office bus, after all.  We arrived at the Poste just a few minutes after 7AM, but at 8:45AM I let Andy know that if it still hadn't come, we would leave at 9.  It was just too hot and too much waiting for the kids.  So, at 9AM the kids dragged his one little carry-on bag and his backpack into the post office for him to wait.  We said good-bye and we left.  And, my arms longed to hug him as small little tears fell down my face - but culturally it's just not okay.  So instead I held the baby and we waved good-bye.

I watched Andy have just a little time with each of the kids as we were waiting.  The waiting was hard and messed up our ideal send-off.  But, really, I think it was good.  It was a little bit more time.  One more song to sing with dad, one more joke to tell him, one more book to read with him, and just a few more memories to make before he leaves us.  He texted me around 11:30AM and said the replacement bus just arrived and he was waiting to board...I found out a few minutes later that although he purchased a ticket, he didn't have a seat for the first several hours.  "But it's a good ride", he said.  He is the optimism to my realism, and I'm 100% certain he wasn't being sarcastic but truly believing it was a good ride.

With 45 minutes left to spare on this 1st day of September he let me know he finally made it to the hotel in Lome.  His flight leaves tomorrow night.  And, so it begins - sort of.  More like the story continues to unfold as we wait, pray, watch, and wonder what God is teaching us as we are trusting even when it doesn't make sense.

amanda