Hi y’all! I hope you are enjoying {Thank}sgiving Week so far! I’m excited at what’s on tap for you this week, but I thought I better briefly interrupt to let you know that we’re here safely.

THANKYOUSOMUCH for saying a prayer for our travels, those of you who did! They were grace-covered, and the Bear did some great snoozing on both flights and loved having his own little TV. Only once in the last few moments going through our last long line on our way past Customs in Atlanta did I momentarily lose my cool. But it was in a gracious, Southern way, of course.

{I asked for directions from an airport employee to make sure I could join a line that was coming around a corner at a place where there was no railing and he encouraged us to hop right in. But a gentleman coming alongside us from around the corner pointed out that “there was a really long queue back there.” I explained that the guy had told us to go through right there, and then said, “I’m also five months pregnant and got a two year old.” He didn’t seem to have anything else to say.}

So, I did have a sassy moment at the end of 30+ hours of travel, but I think, other than that, things went really smoothly!

Sadly, my heartburn has followed me from South Africa, but has not yet made the time zone transition, so it’s coming to visit around lunchtime these days.

The rest of me is slowly catching up (or slowing down?) to Eastern Standard Time. I’m occasionally dizzied by the innumerable choices and options at supermarkets, and today I found strolling through Old Navy and looking at the prices on their clearance racks so amazing I was almost insulted. (I still haven’t broken the unintentional clothing fast I spoke about back in May, but as we are likely peruse the aisles and take advantage of sales — and good prices — while we’re here, I am thankful I’ll have the difference between wants and needs in mind, list or no list.)

We just had three folks knock on the door to talk about the Lord and they were for real, actual Christians! How cool is that? We had a great chat!

We’ve been walking the Bear to the park near my brother’s house, and the leaves are looking like this and the crisps and familiar smells of fall are in the air.

I’m safely in the South, and y’all, it is good to be here.

xCC