Rest and Relaxation

Here it is the first official post since my return to Afghanistan. I am actually starting to write this this evening as I am trying to relax and prepare for a good night sleep. My last week of travle and change always throughs me off as it is full of emotion and change and that has generally caused me to lose sleep. I do have to say though I am handling this return better then the last and definately better then when I first left home, so I guess practice makes perfect. However this is one thing I do not want to become good at.

So I will start at the beginning of my journey with my arrival home. Everything went very well up to my connection flight out of Washington. Of course the one that is most important, as I am so very close to home I missed. It was mostly my fault as we were late getting in but I did not check the Borad and went to the wrong gate. So three long hours later I was on my final leg home.

The moment that I see my wife, like last time is just so special. Tears from both of us, a long awaited touch of the your spouse is everything you could imagine it to be. We also both cry which then causes us to both chuckle. That moment is probaly the most anticipated moment that I have during all of my time here. A valuable lesson from this, and one that plays it self out time and time again while on R&R is the importance of touch in relation to our love for others.

We went right over to get the kids from school this time as we were late in the day. No surprises in my return either, they were fully aware that I would come home and they wanted us to get them. This is also a special moment, probably more for me then them but again a time for us to come together again and hug and be a whole family, together. The touch of my children almost compare to that of my wife.

My return into the house didn't bring much emotion. Maybe a little strange but it was not awkward and it felt like home to me. The smells and warmth and light were all as I had remembered them to be. Home always feels like home no matter how long you have been away. The dog, was not as surprised to see me as he was last time. He did recognize me more quickly then last time and I think it was because Catherine had told him I was coming. He is smart that way.

The night that I returned home I was able to go watch Harrison play in the youth band at the Church. They, and he are very good and it was nice to finally see him playing live in front of a crowd. That same evening Anna, while playing with the other kids at the Church cut her foot and required thirteen stitches.

The first week was great for us as a family. The kids had off from school and we traveled up to Vermont to Stratton Mountain where Harrison has been snowboarding the last several years. For three days we were able just tospend time together as a family. Nothing overly exciting but just time together which is what the R&R for me is all about. That next weekend we traveled down to New Jersey and saw Catherines sisters. Friday night with Barbra and Saturday with Lisa and her family. Time well spent.

The second week, with the kids back in school was time for Catherine and I to spend time together and get some things done that we needed to do. It also becomes the week that I can really get to see the people of my Church family. They are to me almost as important as my family and I do get just as excited to see them as I do anyone else. I was able to visit a small group that has supported the giving of clothes here to the Foriegn Nationals. Had lunch with Frank my Pastor on Tuesday and Catherine and I went to our own small group Tuesday night.
I was able to have a breakfast and a few more lunches with my Christian Brothers and Thursday night Agape Dinner back at the Church.

Last Friday night and Saturday I was able to spend with the Church mens group at Camp Pinnacle on a retreat. That was a very uplifting time for me being back with all of these guys especially in on a retreat. It was made even nicer by the fact that on Saturday morning my Accountability Group was able to meet together. We had some serious catching up to do and itwas well worth it. The weekend ended with church again on Sunday, the day I was scheduled to leave but didn't due to a snow and ice storm.

Now that I am back I will settle in and get back into the daily routine. Alot has changed here and some things have remained the same. The main goal now is to bolster the Department and then begin to transition myself out and give the reigns over to my replacement. I also have to lift someone up to begin to handle the work of takig care of the men in need. I plan on continuing to send packages and things here long after I leave.

To leave off on this post with something of merit, I guess it should be this. Love must be expressed both physically and verbally. It is an emotion that without someone to recieve it will not ever be experienced at it's fullest. As I saw each person over my R&R, starting with Catherine and all the way through the last Church service, I realized that what I miss most was the touch of those that mean so much to me. Voices are one thing but hugs are quiet another. Don't ever loose that in your relationships.

Good to be back. God bless you all.