Bitte, Meh Chas (Please, More Cheese)

We've spent the last four days in Switzerland trying to overcome jet lag. We used age old remedies of hiking in the Alps, riding trains, touring the capital city, and eating lots of cheese. And since we still had more time, we milked some cows, fed the pigs, carried kittens around, and jumped on a trampoline. Judah also lost his first tooth in the shadow of the Eiger, Luciana made a Swiss friend, Juli, and Asher slept on the bar of a restaurant next to brown bear enclosure. 

The next leg of the journey will be a 24 hour stay in Nairobi, Kenya and then on to our final destination: Pemba, Mozambique. One last hot shower and then we settle in for life in the red dirt. Go big, or go home - right?

Adios.

Just one last look. See you in March, knees.

This Will Only Pinch a Little

Here is Luci (yes, that is a Minnie Mouse dress she's wearing) at the Travel Clinic waiting for Shot-a-palooza.

Then she reconsidered. "Take a sad face picture."

He-He-Whoooo. He-He-Whoooo.

I have given birth to three children and one of the things I remember most of the actual birthing part is how much it hurt and how much I wanted to quit. Also the miracle of new life, of course! Who could forget that? For instance, my solution to the pain of Judah's delivery was to crab-walk off the back of the labor bed while Shawn and a stout nurse had to help me commit to finishing the job at hand.  I can see that it seems irrational now, but in the moment, I was a genius! And now I find myself in a similar situation. The pain is less physical, but my solutions are just as genius. This is the part of our journey to Mozambique that feels like "transition" in delivery. We are at the no-turning back point; tickets are purchased, good-byes are being said, and someone is setting up bunk beds for us in Pemba. This baby is happening! But all of the last-minute details are piling up and they have become quite the pile and I just found out we won't have a place to cook food when we get there and travel health insurance is not quite the bargain price it used to be and we're told a 6 month visa is a loooooong shot. I'm sure everything would be so much better if I just crawled out of here backwards. Or could get an epidural. But, I know it's time to take a deep breath and bear down. Soon enough all of our clothes will be packed (the latest in missionary wear), all auto-payments will be scheduled, and we get to see what we are made of. It has already been quite a ride and we're just getting to the wild part. Plus, I have learned my own lesson: Giving birth is really hard, but I was rewarded with the 3 most wonderful kids ever. Getting to Mozambique will be just as worth it. And messy.