The Siberian Grinder

Flying up there was a breeze, but driving back through the night was a little tiring. We pulled in at 5AM.

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That is what my dad and I are doing at this moment (the door to the aircraft has not closed yet - so I am still following the rules). A 14-hour drive back will likely compliment the four-hour (with layovers) trip up there. We hope to pull in late tonight.

Nawh, not really. This was taken the last evening of the conference in Russia.

Transition, boxes and suitcases have been the order of the day for too long, and we are plenty thankful to be settling into one place for the year. And what a place we are settling into! When we pulled into the drive the other night, we were blown away. The church had rallied to set up the parsonage and had thought of every detail (from paint and decorations right down to children’s sunscreen). To everyone who participated in that: Thank you! Rob & Clare, we are so thankful for your work in bringing it all together. It was huge for us, and went a long way to helping us feel at home.

As an aside: anyone wanting a fresh cup of joe can stop by anytime.

We spent yesterday arranging car and health insurance and getting connected electronically (not quite done yet: the internet gets installed tomorrow - but we do have a wireless and a landline connected now) and all the other less-than-fun but necessary things for life here in the US. On Monday, my dad and I plan to fly to Norfolk to pick up our car. By the end of next week, we should be more or less finished with set up and ready to start work.

The kids are still suffering from jet lag. They are wired at 2AM and zombies at 2PM. Adjustments come slow, I guess. It is a curse that I adapt so quickly - I actually want to sleep in the wee hours of the night when they come asking to go on a bike ride through the neighborhood.

I decided to make the blog more interesting for the year that we are here, so stay tuned. I’ll be posting at least once a day.

It’s nice to be home. I have a lot to post about (the great ride from Miami to Geneva being one fine example), but it will have to wait until we get an internet connection set up.

Today was full of sad goodbyes in the church and with others with whom we are close. There are many who we will miss. In three hours, we start what promises to be a three-day circus journey home. We plan to spend tomorrow in Moscow, and then fly to Germany in the wee hours. We have a few hours there before connecting to South Florida - and then a 4-hour drive to Geneva. This is the first time that we have traveled internationally as a family of five. It should be interesting.

The meetings ended at around 2PM yesterday, and so we scooted off to pack up our apartment and ready everything for storage. We finished at 4AM today, and the moving began at 10AM. It was more work than I thought it would be, but it was made easier by so many helping hands. Our lease was up today, so now we are camping at a motel. Tomorrow, we head out for the conference.

Here is a funny bit on how things have changed since 1958.

Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1958 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2008 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1958 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2008 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Jeffrey won’t be still in class, disrupts other students.
1958 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2008 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1958 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2008 - Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse.. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy’s mom has affair with psychologist.

Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1958 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2008 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Pedro fails high school English.
1958 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2008 - Pedro’s cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action laws suit against state school system and Pedro’s English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1958 - Ants die.
2008 - ATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny’s Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1958 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2008 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

(HT: Steve Mooriadian)

It is day one (two to go). Someone is talking. I am paying attention as I post this.

Kevin, get back to work.

I have no idea why I am posting this picture. Really, it has nothing to do with the meetings.