Only one more week!

It is only one week until I go to Peru.  It is feeling more real by the day.  I got my itinerary book and my international flight tickets by Fed Ex a few days ago and I have already began to pack the gifts and supplies for Elias and his family and the programs where we will be.  We are also having back-and-forth communication to work on preparing to lead a Vacation Bible School there one day and to begin making the gift packets for the child survival programs and child sponsorship programs, etc.  I am excited and terrified at the same time!  I have premonitions of my plane going down in flames, but I get like that every time I have to fly somewhere.  There has never been a plane accident in the Compassion's history of doing tours (which is amazing to think about, since people are flying for Compassion related reasons almost every day of the year), so I am praying that God's protection will be over us, as it has in the past.  I told Josh last night that I feel that eventually Compassion's number has to be up, for as many times as they have trips every year, and it might be my trip!  Josh just shook his head and sighed.
Since I will be gone on the kids first week of school, I have been in hyper mode trying to get the house organized.  I have bought more storage bins and "closet solutions" in the last week than I have in 3 years!  I just want everything to be in order, so that it will be as easy as possible to have things run smoothly when I am gone.  I told Josh that I feel like I am nesting and I am not even pregnant.  I keep thinking of all these last minute things I need to do or buy, even though I have all the kids' clothes purchased and the majority of the supplies I know they'll need.  Josh assures me that the stores will indeed be open while I am gone!  I realized the other day that Josh will have to fill out our emergency contact information sheets.  I told him I would call the school and see if I could get them early.  He just laughed and said he thought that he would be able to handle it.  I really don't think he is incapable.  I know it is because I want to know that it has been done.  It is a loose end I feel like I am leaving.  I am so glad that I have met and spoken to Isabella's preschool teacher and that I will be able to go to Elias' open house and find out who his teacher is before I leave.  It makes me feel a little less disconnected. 
Every time Josh and/or I have had a major trip, change, event, etc. about to take place, something always breaks or happens that is unexpected and throws a momentary wrench in things.  Maybe it happens to everyone.  So I am not surprised that it happened this time, actually I was almost waiting for it, and I hope it is the only thing unexpected that happens. But last night, the kids were in the basement playing while I was making dinner.  I heard them banging on something repeatedly and laughing.  I yelled down for them to stop the banging and went on with dinner preparations, just glad that they weren't fighting.  A couple hours later, I went down to get the drill (to put together yet another storage unit) and the floor was wet.  The kids had busted the elbow on water outtake pipe.  Long story short, it is fixed now and the kids are not allowed to play video games for two days.  Josh and I tried to think of a more creative or appropriate punishment, but we could think of none that was fitting for the crime. 
Several people have asked if there was anything they could do to help us in regards to my trip.  So here is a list of things that you can do to help us:
1. Pray for the kids - that they will have a great, smooth transition into school, that they won't miss me too much, and that they will stay healthy while I am gone.
2. Pray for Josh - that he can balance being a single parent and his job for the week and that he can sleep peacefully, not miss me too much, and not worry about me.
3. Pray for me - for safe travels, that I will mesh quickly with my team I am traveling with, that my visit with Elias and his family member(s) will go well, and that I will be able to transcend the language barrier to communicate how much I love the people I will meet, that I stay healthy, and don't miss home so much that I can't enjoy my time there.
4. I have bought a lot of supplies for the Compassion Sponsorship Programs, but then found out that we can also bring items for the Child Survival Program.  If you would feel compelled to donate any maternity, prenatal, or baby items, I would love to deliver them for you.  If you would like, you could enclose your picture and a note.  I have limited space, so small items like clothes, receiving blankets, pacifiers, etc. may be better than bulky items like diapers or bedding.  Also, if you would like to offer supplies to the child sponsorship programs, they take normal school supplies like crayons, scissors, construction paper, markers, pencils, etc..  If you want to donate anything, it would be great to have it by this Sunday or Monday, to make sure I can get it all packed.
5. Pray also that all of our teams luggage makes it to Peru with us, so that we will have all of these gifts to give and all of the materials to lead the VBS program.
6. Take care of and love on my family while I am gone!
7. Pray that we can get last minute details arranged.  Among others, we are still trying to determine the best option for me to get to and from Pittsburgh airport (me driving and paying to park, versus getting a sitter and having Josh take me and pick me up).  There are pros and cons of both.    It would be so much easier if the kids didn't have school, particularly because my plane is not due to land until 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 29.  


I want to thank you in advance for praying for me.  And I hope to give you all a recap of my Peruvian adventures!