1 down 14 to go

Well, the Liberia Library team is on their way! Last night we didn't even bother going to bed. I suppose I probably should have, but since I wasn't going to see my husband again for two weeks, I figured I might as well stay up with him. We watched Rocky and then Indiana Jones until about 2:30 in the morning. I fell asleep on the couch during most of Indy, but was awoken by my never-went-to-sleep husband when it was time to head out. The two-SUV caravan left my parent's about 3:25 a.m. for the airport. Its a lovely time to be on the freeways in L.A. actually. Almost no traffic of which to speak. I made sure Lucy went with us so she would be as tired as me and sleep in this morning.

We dropped them all off by about 4 a.m. (six of them: Caleb, Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Cousin James and Brad). I said good-bye one last time, and I was back on the freeway heading home to finally get to sleep. I was sound asleep by around 5:00 a.m., and didn't wake up until around 9. Lucy let me sleep! So my evil little plan to make her tired worked. I've actually managed to function most of the day on only 4 hours of sleep. But with the time change, I'm thinking bed time will be early tonight.

The team arrived in D.C. about 10:30 our time, at which time I got a call from Caleb. Unfortunately there was a screaming toddler on their flight, and every time he finally started to nod off, the kid would start to scream and wake him up. At least he was extra tired for the flight from D.C. to Brussels, which they're on right now. Hopefully they're all getting some good sleep. In Brussels they have about a 7-hour layover, and then board a 9-hour flight for Monrovia, Liberia. They spend the night there, and in the morning pile into a van for a 7 to 8-hour ride over pot hole-ridden roads to get to Yekepa, where ABC University and its' unfinished library awaits them.

Its weird how quiet a house can be when only one person is missing, even when that one person is a generally quiet man. I don't mind the quiet. I'm actually a huge fan of it. But the loneliness might become another issue in the next 14 days. We'll see. I've got so many friends and family concerned about me I'm wondering if I'll have many days to myself anyway. For the days I'm here alone, I have American Idol to catch up on, photo albums to work on, and a baby's room to organize. And with my overdeveloped need for productivity, I'll probably find myself more busy and tired than rested. In fact, even now, I can hear that the dryer is done and its time to switch the laundry. At least there won't be much more piling up in the next couple weeks.

Check Caleb's blog when you get a chance. He posted a short update from the airport in D.C., but upon his arrival in Liberia he's hoping to update it regularly with the progress of the team and the library.

Here's to just 14 more days of just me and the dog!