48 hours

48 hours until I arrive at O'hare to begin my journey to Ethiopia. I'm nervous, anxious, scared, excited, but most of all ready. It's been a very long road and I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I wish I wasn't going alone, but it is what it is.
My bags are packed, meals for the kids are made and frozen, child care is lined up (and yes I printed out a novel's worth of instructions- go ahead and mock me!). The house isn't nearly as clean or ready as I wanted it to be, but there are somethings that are just not going to get done. At least since I'll be gone, everyone will just assume the kids made the mess! :-)
For those that don't know me well enough to know how my insane mind works, here's a glimpse:
I've studied the map and weighed out the possibility of the plane going down over land versus over water. I have formed the theory that I have a better chance of survival if the plane goes down over water, and since it appears we are over ocean for a lot longer than we are over land- my odds are pretty good! I could go into all the how's and why's of the theory, but since it's all just my opinion any ways, I won't go into it. Of course I also have it in my head that as I'm sitting there in the ocean, floating on my flotation device, I get eaten by a shark. Haven't quite outweighed the eaten by shark vs dying by plane crash options all the way out yet, but there is still time. Getting the picture yet? This is why I asked the doc. for some really good medication to help get me through this trip.
I'm looking forward to seeing and experiencing Ethiopia, just wish I could drive myself there to do it!
I also rec'd an email from the agency stating that since it is election time, and Ethiopia is known to have riots break out during elections, none of the families traveling for this embassy appointment will be leaving the city. Our activities will also be kept to a minimum. I think I'm ok with that. Some of the other families that have gone before me have expressed that the schedule is usually pretty full and the trip is pretty scheduled. I'm ok with just having some free time to spend with my son.