should

i should be going over the material for the fucking largest test of my graduate school career.

instead, i called air new zealand to see about getting a seat assignment for my trip. it's convoluted as to how it got to that point, but my united flights were changed, and i was messing with the air new zealand itinerary to reflect that, and i remembered how the best boy friend said i should call and get the best seat on the plane. early. like when i got my ticket, not a month before i was leaving.

oh well.
could have, should have, would have.

so i called. and listened to muzak.
it was interesting muzak. i was singing along.

then, the most beautiful voice answered the phone.

a man. in auckland. with a definate kiwi accent.

i am still melting into a small pool of vaginal secretions.

i asked about getting my seat, but because they are switching planes around, and they don't know which one i'll be on, they can't do it at the moment. but he took my request for an aisle, in the front, with a bed (which was a joke... they don't really have seats with beds in steerage, which is where i am for $866usd round trip.)

then he asked if i wanted a special meal. i asked for vegetarian, since i don't like airline meat. with dairy though.

he asked if i needed anything else, and i asked if he was in new zealand right now, which i knew he had to be with such an amazingly sexy accent. he said he was in auckland. i asked about the most simple thing, the one that concerns me most, the weather.
"it's gorgeous today, the sun finally came out and it's about 21, which is good because there is a rugby game tonight, a big one, and i'm going to be there."

heaven.

i let him know it was about 29 today, but the humidity had finally broken, for a bit. i felt so smart that i was able to say it in celsius... my practice in the car has finally paid off! take that mom!

we chit chatted about other things, but i wasn't paying too much attention to anything but the melody of his voice.

i said goodbye and thanked him, and then my phone got all staticky, and he said something, but i couldn't understand it, and i'm sure it was something uniquely kiwi, and i missed it. but that's ok. i have his voice to carry me to bed tonight.

i think i'm going to get into big trouble in new zealand. if they all sound like that, i'm never going to want to leave, and i'm going to be dripping all the time.

perhaps my love is waiting for me there.

perhaps.

--

homecoming

this is normally the time when i would stand up here and say something moving and inspirational about bringing our children home from an amazing week of service and spiritual development.
but, to be honest, i can't say that.
this year was different.
i had nothing to do with bringing our children home from an amazing week of service and spiritual development.
while these fantastic young and not-so-young people were working hard in the hot sun - i was swimming.
while they were getting up at 6am to go to work - i was sleeping in and having brunch.

all week, i have felt conspicuously out of the loop.

only once was my advice sought on a "disciplinary" matter.
i wasn't bombarded by interesting stories and God sightings so much that my dinner hour was actually 3 hours long.
i wasn't listening in on their spiritual growth during the evening devotions.
i wasn't laughing so hard that i couldn't eat or drink for fear it would come out my nose.

until wednesday.

i went to reading, pa to visit the group. there was no way i was going to miss out on this experience entirely.

i was not even a minute out of the car when i was attacked by all of them. we ended up on the grass, in a pile up, laughing.

and then, in all its wonderful glory, it started.

kyla, today my resident...
kyla, guess what, i learned how to...
kyla, last night during devotions...
kyla, yesterday, sam did THE funniest thing...

kyla, this is more fun than i thought. i'm having such a great time. thank you.

it continued like this for the entire 6 hours i was there. i was bombarded by their stories, careful of what i ate, watchful of their spiritual discussions. they didn't need me to be there, because i was already there. the adults were more than ready for the task they had undertaken. i had done my job, and now it was their turn to do theirs. and it was perfectly carried out.

so, my dear dear family, i have seen to it that our children have come home safely.
they have learned amazing things.
they have grown in their faith.
they have become friends, and made new friends.
and, most importantly, they have completed what they set out to do, no matter what was thrown in front of them.


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