The normal that is

I didn’t have the chance to speak to my kids at all last week while I was gone. Really, it was for the best. It’s easier on them if I don’t call and…well, it’s easier on me.

Upon landing in Atlanta, I called my family and for the first time in eight days I heard my first born’s voice over the phone. He has always has the sweetest voice and this phone call was no exception. On the phone he is still little, the high pitched nature of his melody singing through the phone and straight to my heart. I would have cried if he hadn’t made me laugh.

“Hey Mom,” he said. “You sound different.”

“I do?” I asked. “How do I sound different?”

“Well…,” thoughtful pause, “You sound Chinese.”

Boys. No matter where you are in the world, boys know how to have a good time and make you laugh.

Scott Williams had all of us fist bumping all week long. Is there anything more universal than the fist bump?

I’m slowly reintegrating into everyday life. We started school today, much to the kid’s chagrin. We’re almost done with the year, but there’s still work to be done.

As we prepared to come home, Shaun warned us that we may experience feelings of frustration, confusion, anger and sadness. I’m so happy to report that I am apparently totally normal because I have experienced every single one of these emotions.

Every. single. one.

Prayers are coveted. For me, for my children, for all the bloggers who went on the trip. Shaun laid out some specific prayers in his post today. My poor children are, unfortunately, bearing the brunt of my emotions. I may, OR MAY NOT, have plopped a glass jar on the counter yesterday and told them they will have to pay me .25 every time they complain about something.

My nerves are a bit frayed.

 Jet lag hasn’t helped.

We will adjust to this change. It’s funny, every single thing around me is exactly the same as when I left (well, except for my house, because my mother-in-law, who is an awesome decorator, redecorated and organized my house while I was gone and Sweet Mercy it looks nice around here). But while everything looks “relatively” the same…

It all feels so different.

Even blogging.

Bear with me Pray for me as I adjust.

Oh, one more thing…

We ran out of Nutella today. THIS DOESN’T HELP THE SITUATION!

That's 12 pounds of awesome that somehow disappeared...

*sigh*

Photos of everything but Nutella by Keely Scott

Comments

  1. step 1: go buy yourself some nutella
    step 2: allow yourself a nap and some grace
    step 3: hug your babies and do a fist bump or two
    step 4: call me cause I’ll be happy to share the emotional burden
    step 5: consider it all grace…even if you don’t know how to proceed, God has allowed you to see…and that is grace!

    • Thanks, Beck. I went to the store last night. I FORGOT to buy Nutella. Clearly jet lag has messed with my head…

  2. You guys have been on my heart and I will continue to pray as you transition into your “new” normal. You son is cute saying you sounded Chinese!! Take it day by day, you have a lot to process and I assume are emotionally ad physically worn down. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for all of you who went on this trip.

  3. I could add to Becke’s list a Step 6: Call Jenni and plan to go out for coffee. Or something else because I gave up coffee and I have experienced all those emotions you mentioned except I don’t have this cool Tanzania trip to blame it on. There’s nothing noble in being frustrated because you didn’t get your morning jolt. Thanks for keeping it real. A moment of silence for the 12 lb jar of Nutella……

  4. I’ve been praying for you all, Kelli. I’ve read about the emotional roller coaster that IS re-entry. I can only imagine how it is to actually experience the build up to the trip, the trip itself and the coming home. (((hugs)))

  5. Love the look of excitement and joy on the little boy’s face whom you are fist bumping! Hope you fist bumped his little friend next as he looked very eager to get some fist bumping action in himself!! 🙂

  6. You are definitely normal. Thank you for what you went through and what you are going through to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. You have been a blessing to me.

    And absolutely make them pay the 25 cents at least for complaining about first world issues. It might just be the best thing that came from your trip.

    • You’re right, Steve. It’s amazing how easy it once was to tune all that complaining out and now that I have such a shift in perspective, complaints are like fingernails on a chalk board. My husband suggested we drop them off in Tanzania for a week and see how long they’d last. 🙂

      Probably better to just train them in love.

      Thanks for your encouragement and all your comments. I have so looked forward to seeing you appear in my comments. 🙂

  7. I am still praying for you all as you continue to process your trip and this journey God has you on. I posted about it yesterday – a reminder to all my readers that even though the blogging trip is done, the bloggers still need our prayers. Probably even now more than ever.

    • Thank you, Jill. It’s so nice and comforting to feel all the love and support and prayers from everyone as we all return!

  8. What an amazing experience and girlfraaaaaannnn those guns you have! Have you been doing 12 oz Nutella curls or what? I want a ticket anyway!

    Hug those babies and good for you on the jar! I think that’s a genius idea!

    • Hehehehe…the image of curling Nutella makes me laugh. But GREAT IDEA! Totally takes the guilt out of Nutella. You? Are a genius.

      And thanks. 🙂

  9. I promise you no one ate Nutella while you were gone! I might have if I could have figured out how to get down into the bottom of the 20# bucket and get those last spoonfulls. By the way, how long have you had that bucket???

    • Well, funny you should ask because…uh…

      *cough*

      This is embarassing.

      Barely two months?

      I blame it all on the kids. I had NOTHING to do with it all disappearing so fast…

  10. Kevin Keiter says

    Kelli: thought about your Uncle Dusty’s comment the other day about post-trip depression. I told Jenni last night that I didn’t realize that once I’d done a mission trip and experienced the blessing and the post-trip depression, I would also be uber-susceptible to re-aquiring all the emotions (including the depression) when reading someone else’s experience. Your blog has done that to me over the past week or more. It’s pretty cool how God tenderizes our hearts and reminds us about how He views the world. Don’t stop writing, don’t stop remembering, and certainly don’t apologize for it! I thank you for it…