The beginning

I can't believe I finally got all the bugs worked out, and I can sit here and write- at now 4:30 A.M.- It has been a trying couple of days and nights - both getting here and being here. Exhaustion and a icky feeling tummy are how it feels to travel to another country- and suffer from jet lag, and different food than your digestive system is used too. I forgot ,that this is how my body felt in China the first three days as well. My font keeps changing on it's own- so at this point I am going to just leave it like this. Well it has been several days since I set out from Denver- I arrived at my sisters house on the 4th of June with Ellison. We had a nice uneventful trip over- and got in very late. I slept 3.5 hours that night- and got up early to set out with my sister Mary Ellen to help her with a road race that she had elected to endeavor for the benefit of her daughter and classmates at Boxford Academy. I was quite proud of my sister for being director and planner of a road race benefit. We put up all the signs together, all this a culmination of my sister's hard work- and I arrived late the night before her grand debut, which was no help to her. All said and done- It was a hit- and I believe she will plan a second annual event. We had a wonderful day together with the kids, with water balloon tosses, and a snake man- who showed all the kids all the variety of snakes that we have in New England. It was wonderful to see Ellison playing so well with her cousins. We headed to Mary's and had a cook out- and sat by the pool- my cousin Galen came in from Boston- and we all hung out for a little while, including my mom. It was soon time to head to the airport in Boston. I was dreading leaving Ellison behind- as I felt so attached at the hip. When it actually came time to go - I explained that Ellison would have a new mommy for a little while, and that she needed to listen to Mary Ellen, and that Daddy would come to visit soon, and that this mommy would be back to get her and be her mommy again soon. Apparently that resonated with her- and she instantly bonded with Mary Ellen- and was quite content to hang out with her and Ken and the kids (Sarah, Madden and Myles) in the pool. I knew she was in good hands- especially when she wouldn't come out of the pool to say goodbye. A very sad mommy blew her kisses- which she "caught" and headed out with cousin Galen to the airport. Not before saying goodbye to everyone- and listening to my mom- say things like, "watch your back", be very careful". "Don't trust any body" blah , blah..... I said through tears: "mom, I feel like I am leaving home for the first time" A grown woman, sad to leave her daughter behind, with tears welling in the eyes- barely able to hold it together- and luckily this caused Mary Ellen, mom and I a good laugh- enough to help me pull it together and get out of there. And off I went.........