This Time Next Week

I feel like Santa Claus - making my list and checking it twi...  well really more like a zillion times and not just twice. And who am I kidding - I have more than just one list.  

Laid out everything I need to bring and amazingly I can get it all into a carry on bag with a bit of room to spare!  The bag should just meet the carry on requirements for Delta which I find a relief.  I deplore checking luggage when flying and with a plane change and travel to another country yeah - I'd just feel better having my stuff with me.  I'm just like that.

I've been taking it upon myself to try and do as much of the things I'd do here the week I am gone to make sure my husband is all set for his week of "alone" time.

(Not that he isn't capable of taking care of himself - he did it for 40 years before he met me after all)

Making the food runs, stocking up the pantry, getting the bills paid, budget for next month in order and a run to the bank just to name a few.  I wouldn't be a good wife if I didn't leave a "honey do" list though would I?  ;)  Need to get cracking on that one!

I started the last of the various drugs needed to help ward off unwanted parasites and diseases that travel to Haiti can expose you to.  Although there appears to be a new one that has no preventative drug - just behaviors to prevent catching it.  Mosquito spread something or other that starts with the letter "C" and the pronunciation begins with something like the word "chicken." It's not a deadly or contagious disease although it sounds anything but pleasant (the words excruciating and pain were used in several descriptions of this disease TOGETHER) and of course it's spreading ever so efficiently across the DR and Haiti.  DEET don't fail me now!

The team is meeting Saturday afternoon to pack up and then we meet back up to begin our journey at 3am to make our 6-ish a.m. first flight out of DC.  Providing all our flights are on time we will be landing in Port au Prince, Haiti around 12:30 p.m.  I'm thankful we are in the same time zone - I'll probably be confused enough and wondering what time it is would just be annoying.  Travel from the city to the region of Belladere where we will be staying for about 5 days begins once we collect all the bags and load into the various vehicles waiting for us.

I believe our trip to Belladere will be about 3-ish or so hours in vehicles along "roads" that make the pot holes around our area look like nothing with no real regard for anything resembling traffic safety.  I think the concept of 2-way traffic isn't a widely followed practice either.  All just part of the adventure though, right?

Few may know this although my husband is VERY aware of my somewhat unrealistic anxiety when riding in a vehicle as a passenger.  Just ask him what it is like traveling on 495 past the Mormon Temple with me in the passenger seat!  I usually make very little noise but have been known to turn myself into a tight ball (as if that would do any good in the event of a fiery car crash) - so yeah, I'm not the invisible brake slammer.  And this is just when it is sunny and the road is dry - if it's raining I could become the size of a small pea and don't get me started when you throw 18 wheel tractor trailers into the mix.

Even with all this silly stuff I am still really looking forward to this trip for so many different reasons.

I'm not looking forward to being away from my family and all the comforts we take for granted - but I'm sure I'll come home with a deeper appreciation for them and all we've been blessed with.

Please keep the team in your prayers and stay tuned for posts to come with all sorts of wonderful stories from next week's adventure!