suzannainthesand

The 2nd wave of tickets started trickling in today and the departure date is Aug 13th, which is 2 wks after Group 1 was sent over to the UAE. If Group 3 follows suit they’d leave on 8/27, so that’s the one I want to be part of (I really don’t get to choose; I just need to throw good thoughts out there)! Many people have called, texted, emailed, and messaged me inquiring about my departure date- I’ll definitely let everyone know when I hear the news!
Until then, I’ve been keeping busy/procrastinating, which is the same M.O. I implemented in grad school. Instead of cleaning and packing (Jenna needs nothing less than God’s help with that) we went canoeing on the Kankakee River today. I’m more interested in traveling, restaurants, and music, but every once in awhile I step out of my comfort zone; I wouldn’t want the girls not to try something just because it’s not up my alley. So we went to Reed’s Canoe Trips, where they provided a canoe, seat cushions, and a ride to the drop-off point. The guy told us to row 6 miles and to stay to the left after the 3rd bridge and look for the orange sign, which is their pickup point. It was good prep for my Abu Dhabi travels, where they don’t use addresses but instead direct everyone to locations based on various other locations. We were passed up by several kayakers (confirming our amateur status), then a few guys serenaded us -or rather, my daughters- with a lovely rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody. A few minutes later we were given a verbal warning by a resident who was watching us from the shore. What is that lady yelling?? Apparently she was trying to tell us that the water in front of us was very shallow because as soon as Jenna yelled “Rapids!!!!” due to the waves, we crashed into some rocks (not good for the lower back) and were stuck in the middle of the river. After realizing we weren’t going to be able to rock ourselves free, I stepped out of the canoe to dislodge it; as it started to float away, I grabbed onto the side and tried to jump back in. My right foot was wedged in the rocks and my left leg was hooked over the side of the canoe. As the boat moved further, I felt like a wishbone and groaned “Ohhhh, this is NOT good.” I have a history that includes all my major accidents occurring in the water, hence my apprehension to orchestrate this excursion in the first place. The girls just sat watching until I hurtled myself back into the boat, right knee shredded and burning. For the rest of the afternoon, they would just give each other that “sister look” and crack up so hard that I couldn’t be mad at them for leaving me in the dust. It’s fun to watch them laugh themselves to tears, even at my expense. I know my place within our little triangle. But they’ll miss me when I’m gone. I have to believe that.