The urgent cry came from the back within half an hour of our last potty moment, and so our packed-to-the-hilt little Fabia came to a stop again in a services car park. Thinking we wouldn’t need it again, I had rammed the potty down the last remaining gap in the boot between the buggy and the bed-guard. The question was whether it was worth trailing both boys into the loos or whether I could somehow hook it out and so we could swiftly return to the joys of the dawdling M40. Having had an abs operation just a month a go, there’s no quick hoiking of boys out of car seats. It’s more a patience-testing wait and cajole as I persuade them to get in and out of the car. Potty lunging won.
Needless to say, in our crazy life schedule at the moment, Jonathan and I were heading in different directions up and down the country having said our goodbyes at 6.30am the previous morning. The goodbyes were said as the last items of our Ilkley dwelling were loaded into a car that shouldn’t really have capacity for a house move. As I was driving down the M6, struggling to see over the cot mattress dangling over the back seats, I realised we really had overestimated that Skoda capacity.
But onwards.
From Ilkely (with some sad farewells at preschool) to Leyland (and wonderfully laid back friends having us land last minute to stay the night) to London (to be greeted by traffic, sunshine and family).
To the American embassy tomorrow to finally seal the deal on the visa, and then to Dorset before heading up to Keswick to join Jonathan.
Phew. Frazzling. Exhausting. But, in the big picture, getting us on our way to America. I don’t think arrival in American will reduce the intensity of life at the moment, but I do think that landing in a place that we know we will be in for a while will help. Rather than the uncertainty of recent months, we can relax into knowing. Rather than anticipating, we can get on with it and do this ‘adventure’ that had almost been knocked off track.
The next few months are, no doubt, going to be challenging. But what I love is that our little family are in it together, and that we can trust our big God as we step out again in faith and give it our best shot, by His grace.
Bring it on. Up for the adventure, even if it means having to – at this moment – hare around the country in a small, hectically packed car with two energetic little boys!
Boys, Books and the Home of the Brave 