This is just a quick update to let everyone know that I made it back to my new home away from home, Africa, and it’s so cool!!

I didn’t realize how much I missed this place until I got back, but still it will take a little getting used to, for sure. I left the US when nighttime lows were still in the 30’s. It’s 8:30 am here and already it’s getting hot and the humidity is really high! It feels like August in Alabama.

All of my flights went well. I think that they had a rookie doing the landing in Amsterdam though! It felt like he landed on two wheels and then tried to do a little bob and weave. It was time to wake up so maybe it was just he’s way of being sure we were wide awake. If so, it worked!

My trip back to America was really fun but sometimes hard. First, I had to get used to the idea that I don’t have a home of my own anywhere. That takes more than a little “getting used to” at my age. Then I had to realizing that everybody has their lives that I am no longer able to be a part of really. Life is going on – kids are growing up and having birthdays, my friends and I are growing older – and I have missed and will miss being there for a lot of it.

My last couple of weeks in the US was a little surreal. It’s weird trying to make plans to leave for 8 months. It’s like you are moving, which I guess really IS what I’m doing. And just in time it seems.

I went to see a Dr Edwards two weeks before I was to leave and he told me that I had to get back to Africa before I killed myself. I had gained 20 lbs since I had gotten back! He is right. The food and the fact that a lot of our social interaction in America is around food, is not good for me.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to say no and not eat something that you will not be able to have for 8 months?! On top of that, it was always something that was really, really good but really fattening. To say that it’s hard is an understatement!

Next November when I come back I think that maybe I need to eat a week and then fast a week. It will be interesting to see how that works out. The eating, no problem. The fasting, maybe a problem.

Don’t we have and amazing God and Father that He would let me have this great adventure at 63? Now that’s cool!

Remember to pray for me that I would keep my eyes on Jesus and that I would learn to rest in Him.