It’s that subconscious instinct of going to call my mom that gets me every time. I will think of something, see something, or do something that I want to share with her. Then I realize I can’t. She’s gone. They’re both gone. It’s been 131 days since I have spoken to my parents. It feels like yesterday, and yet it feel like a lifetime. So many things have happened in these 131 days. So much has changed. I have changed so much. The way I look at life has changed more than anything. Things don’t matter like they used to. I react differently to situations. That is the best thing that could have come out of my adventure. That and my need to purge. No, I didn’t become bulimic. When I returned home, I looked around at all the crap we have accumulated in the 20 years we have been living in our house and I felt suffocated. I immediately started throwing away stuff. Things that we have kept didn’t have any meaning anymore. This has been the best experience. Letting go. Letting go of crap. Huge weights have come off. Something I was afraid to do before. Not sure why, but I was. I couldn’t let go of anything. What if I needed it. What would I do if i threw it away and it wasn’t there anymore. Truth is, we don’t need any of it. I sold all of Ari’s baby toys and “equipment”. (Made over $500 without even leaving my house too!) That second baby is just not going to happen. I have finally come to terms with that. My family is perfect the way it is. We are a threesome. One and done. I think that has also lifted a huge burden off my shoulders. Now if only the city would approve our plans for our remodel. Then we can get rid of more stuff and pack. Though, there won’t much left to pack. Lol. We may know in a few weeks at the next design review session with the City. Our third!!!
Our big Southeast Asia adventure is right around the corner too. I can’t wait. I can’t wait to see Sakai again. I miss him so. We are in contact a lot, but it isn’t the same. The best news, is that he is coming here before we leave! Marc and Ari can get to know him here! I am so excited for that. I am so excited to see him and show him my world here. He will be in the states for a few weeks in January. Then we will all fly to Hong Kong together. He will spend one night and one day there with us there, and then he will go home, unpack, repack, and meet us in Ho Chi Min City a few days later to start our amazing adventure he has planned.
Keeping with my not needing or wanting to be in control, I have not looked at our itinerary. I don’t want to know the day to day. I want to just be in the moment; every moment. I trust him and what he has in store for us. I can’t wait for Ari to see that the world is not the bubble he has lived in for his 11 years of life. He will definitely be out of his comfort zone and that is going to be the best experience. I can’t wait to experience this type of travel with Marc. We have traveled to many places in the world together, but never like this. And never for this long. I just know it’s going to be an adventure of a lifetime!
Having just been there, packing is going to be so easy. I know what we need and what we don’t need. I am pretty much packed myself. Just have to throw things into my backpack and I’m good to go. Marc and Ari are on their own, but I mean it when I say three outfits! One on. One off. One in the wash…..
Stay tuned for 2017 and our upcoming adventure. I can’t wait to share it with everyone.
One on, one off, one in the wash... 