Count Down is On

Wednesday. It is not so far away now! Friday. Seems so close!

Mom and I spent hours last night repacking my bags – trying to get into the smaller bags than my dad got me into. We ran out to Walmart at 9 pm to grab more vacuum packed bags to shrink it all down. We managed to get everything back in, using the smaller duffel bag and many bags. I am still just under the 150 pounds I am allowed to have. I have two soccer balls either going in my carry-on, or staying behind. I also must admit I have some Yard Sale stuff which I just couldn't get in. If all goes well, I will have a yard sale both for Cancer and for My Babies in the spring. So remember if you have stuff to give away, I will gladly take it to raise money for my causes!!

Now that everything is fully packed, I am anxious to go. I have to wait until Wednesday afternoon though. I heard that there was another terrorist threat in the United States. On a side note, I find it sad how 'common' that has become, and although it should terrify us, it merely is only seen as an inconvenience. Now I will have to leave for Seattle even earlier than we planned. My three pieces of luggage are bound to cause a hassle somewhere! They had better not un-vacuum my bags, or we will never it it in again! Oh please, custom guards, please do not feel the need! Please don't let me miss any of my connections (I only have one connection, but it is a small window). Please do not screw me over! The bonus of repacking it with Mom, and vacuuming it down, is that now I am more sure of what is in each bag. I admit I sat and looked pretty while Dad did it last weekend. I know I have a bag that is mostly full of shoes and school supplies. I know I have a bag that is mostly filled with my stuff. I know I have a bag that has mostly soccer balls and school bags. I don't know how Phoebe could have got those 30 balls plus everything else to Ghana last year, although she was allowed 4 pieces of luggage! At any rate, it is all packed, and I am ready to go! Of course, I will need to clean up my basement tomorrow or Tuesday before I leave, as it is the disaster left by packing and having supplies around for months! I don't want to come home to this disaster! And I know Mom doesn't want to see it.

Today I am going Trick or Treating for Hunger. The CNC Student Union (of which I feel I am a part even though I am not really an employee at CNC nor a student), is doing this event today. I am happy to take part in it, even though I am mostly a Halloween hater most days. I am not dressing up, but I gather there is a t-shirt advertising the cause as well. I am pretty excited for it. But, having not much to do (and not wanting to clean right now), I want to go NOW! We don't start until 4. So, watch for us at your door, looking for non-perishable food donations for the CNC Food Bank!

Tonight is also REBA! I am pretty excited for it as well! Of course, Reba is the reason I am still in PG right now, having not gone to Ghana months ago. I bought these tickets in August, and had to wait until after Reba to leave town. Then I gave myself a day or two to finish up and not be jet-lagged before I even get on the plane!

This coming weekend, I understand that we are taking the older children to Cape Coast, where we plan to visit the Slave Castle. I get into Accra at 1 pm on Friday, and from what Katherine said yesterday, we are taking them on Saturday. I guess we will see what is going on then! It is important that the children understand their history. Last year, someone took Richard, and he was flabbergasted at the way his people were treated in the olden days. I think, sadly, many white people have to prove that we are not there with the same instincts as those before us. I am excited to be going back. Cape Coast was some of the many pictures that I lost when I lost my jump drive last year. I just hope that I am not too tired to join in on the fun of watching our children explore their heritage!

It is still hard to imagine that in less than 5 days, I will be in the humid heat of Ghana, speaking Twi and laughing at the antics of Kwashie and all the others!

Much love to you all!