The adventure begins

This is how we had to get around town the first few days.  Easton loved it.  Lindsay hated it.  Don't tell my Dad.

Our new Malawi adventure has begun.  It has been exhausting and challenging at times, but Lindsay and I have both agreed that we definitely feel at home here in Malawi.  It has been fun to see “Malawi” friends, which has helped us with missing our American friends. We have only been here a few days but it seems like we have been away from home for much longer.  Maybe that’s because of all the flights and jet lag and the fact that Easton and Gracie have both been popping up wide awake at 4:30. 

The journey here was exhausting.  We arrived at the airport 2and a half hours early.  We managed to unload all 8 of  our 50 pound bags, 3 carry ons, 2 diaper bags, 2 car seats, a stroller, and a purse and get them to the check in counter.  Thankfully we had the help of the Voorhees (they are an amazing couple in so many ways).  We knew we were in for a long trip when we spent the next hour and a half checking in.  It is a long story, but instead of being able to relax and have dinner, we were in a rush to get to our gate on time.  Which isn’t easy when you have two kids and a car seat strapped to one of your carry ons and eight dollars in quarters in your pocket. Why did I have eight dollars in quarters in my pocket?  But we got on the plane and thought how great it was going to be to fly the red eye flight because both the kids would sleep the 5 hours to New York and we would get there nice and rested. Nope. Easton was excited to have a TV in front of him, so he only ended up sleeping the last hour or so and it turns out Gracie doesn’t really enjoy sleeping on planes. 

Easton was excited to ride the moving sidewalk in the airport. The first couple times he wanted to hold our hands when he got on. He was finally brave enough to step onto it by himself, but his courage was only enough for one step. He put that first foot on but got nervous. The problem was that first foot was now speeding away from him and he was quickly doing the splits and almost went down, until Lindsay grabbed his hand and helped him out.  After eating a lovely breakfast at McDonalds, which doesn’t settle real well at 4AM we started heading to our gate.  Lindsay rushed ahead to try and see if we could change our seats because once we looked at our tickets we realized we weren’t sitting together.  As Easton and I approached another moving sidewalk, he said he wanted to do it by himself again.  I want to be an encouraging parent, you know get back on that horse.  So I tell him “go for it.” But let me set the scene.  I have a 30 pound pack on my back, I have a 30 pound diaper bag slung across my chest, I am pulling a 30 pound carryon bag with a 30 pound car seat strapped awkwardly to the handle and I am pushing a 30 pound stroller. Easton is trying to work up the courage to jump on this fast moving sidewalk as a crowd of grumpy New York travellers pack in behind us.  He finally jumps on, but gets nervous and reaches back for me.  I lean out and grab his hand but his feet are speeding away, I try and get on but the stroller wheel gets stuck and so I let go of Easton.  He tries to grab the glass wall, which is stationery and so is feet leave him again and he loses his balance and his face bounces off the sidewalk.  He starts crying as he zips away from me.  I am frantically trying to push this stroller on to the sidewalk while trying to pull the carry on behind, this all difficult to do while people are giving you judgemental looks.  It probably didn’t help that I was laughing. 

But we got on the plane.  Lindsay sat one row in front of me and across the aisle.  Easton loved watching movies and slept occasionally.  Gracie loved neither of these things. I was just glad that I was the one watching Easton and Lindsay had Gracie.  By the end of the flight Lindsay and Gracie were exhausted and I was tired of watching movies.  When breakfast came, I put both Easton and I’s meals on my little tray table and the two orange juices. I was impressed I got them all on my tray.  I decided to be a good husband and hold Gracie so that Lindsay could enjoy her delicious airline food while it was still warm.  I entertained Gracie in the 8 inches of space between my face and the seat in front of me, that lasted for all of 10 minutes, before she was tired of that.  Gracie starts flailing around and shouting angrily for her mother and then gives Eastons orange juice a nice karate kick directly into my lap.  This is at the exact same time as the stewardess shows up with her little cart to take away all the trash, so I can’t pass Gracie back to Lindsay as the orange juice empties itself into my lap, the guy across the aisle sees my problems and takes Gracie and passes her over the seat to Lindsay.  An hour later we landed in Johannesburg.

We rushed through the Johannesburg airport and made it just in time for final boarding onto our flight to Malawi.  I would tell you about that flight, but Easton and I fell asleep the minute we sat down and woke up when the plane landed.  Lindsay was once again by herself with Gracie.  We landed in Malawi and collected all 8 of our bags, we were excited that they had all made it, we were also excited to see our friends Dan and Merin who helped carry all of our luggage outside.  The headmaster of our new school was waiting there for us, we tossed our luggage in back and jumped in his truck. We put Gracie on our lap because that’s how they do it in Africa and our new adventure in Malawi has begun.  I will post a new entry soon to let you know how we are settling in. Take care and keep sending us messages.  We love hearing from you.