When my plane landed in Oklahoma I ran to the luggage claim, grabbed my stuff and ran outside, frantically looking for my ride home. There, off to the right was a little red Chrysler Sebring with a not so little, middle aged man sitting and waiting anxiously for his daughter to arrive. "DADDY!" I yelled, tears filling my eyes. He got out of the car and greeted me with a hug! Oh how I had missed my dad (I'm a total daddy's girl). We were both still crying tears of joy when we finally got into the car and drove away. We made small talk for a while but then started to talk business, "I've been telling the kids that I'm at the cardiologist's office in Hawaii, have you and mom figured out the details of the surprise yet?" I asked, listening to his reply... "Perfect" I said and waited to arrive at the restaurant.
When my dad and I arrived at my mom's favorite restaurant, I got into position and waited for my mom to come in with my siblings. I could hardly contain myself, I hadn't seen them in about three months and there they were right before my eyes. Cameras rolling, my mom began to recite the script. "Call Micah, she has to be done with her doctor's appointment by now" she said. "Mom, she isn't answering." My sister tried to reason with my mom, explaining that I was probably still in the appointment. My mom became restless, "Well, call her back!" she said. "Mom, it's fine, she'll call us when she is done." My sister insisted. "Oh my gosh guys, doesn't that girl look like Micah?" My mom pointed at me (my back was turned to them). "Yeah, she kind of does mom, but Micah is in Hawaii remember?" My siblings were getting embarrassed by now, but it really pushed them over the edge when she yelled "MICAH?!" My sisters sank lower in their seats, my brother jumped over the table in a frantic attempt to calm my mom down from what they all thought was an emotional break down. "Mom, you're going insane!" they told her, but their eyes grew wide when they heard me say "Yes?" They all whipped around and ran towards me, "Why are you here?!" They cried. Oh it was the sweetest moment. My family, all together again.
The week and a half that I was home was filled with lots of doctor's appointments and lots of family time. But, in the midst of everything going on around me I was still questioning God. "Why am I back here?" As we waited for the test results, I made use of my time and mailed the few "Thank You Notes" and update letters that I had put off mailing. I also had the wonderful pleasure of surprising a dear friend who had just had her first baby. I was SO happy that I got to be there for her, even if it was only for a short time.
The results from the hospital finally came back and the doctors said all was well enough and that I should be good to go. They had found arsenic in my blood (still have no idea where it came from) but the levels were low and they said it "would work itself out of the body".
When I got the green light to go to India I began packing my bags. I packed in one backpack and one carry on. One of them was all food and vitamins, which came in handy, the other was my passport, blankets, camera and shoes. I was going to wear one outfit there and I had one more shirt to change into if needed. I had planned on buying Indian clothes upon arrival.
At last it was time to say goodbye to my family again. I thought goodbye would be easier the second time, but it wasn't... Especially since it was a 4am flight and they were asleep when I departed. Four AM was rough, but I was off to a place where my heart had longed to go since childhood, and I could hardly take it in.
When my dad and I arrived at my mom's favorite restaurant, I got into position and waited for my mom to come in with my siblings. I could hardly contain myself, I hadn't seen them in about three months and there they were right before my eyes. Cameras rolling, my mom began to recite the script. "Call Micah, she has to be done with her doctor's appointment by now" she said. "Mom, she isn't answering." My sister tried to reason with my mom, explaining that I was probably still in the appointment. My mom became restless, "Well, call her back!" she said. "Mom, it's fine, she'll call us when she is done." My sister insisted. "Oh my gosh guys, doesn't that girl look like Micah?" My mom pointed at me (my back was turned to them). "Yeah, she kind of does mom, but Micah is in Hawaii remember?" My siblings were getting embarrassed by now, but it really pushed them over the edge when she yelled "MICAH?!" My sisters sank lower in their seats, my brother jumped over the table in a frantic attempt to calm my mom down from what they all thought was an emotional break down. "Mom, you're going insane!" they told her, but their eyes grew wide when they heard me say "Yes?" They all whipped around and ran towards me, "Why are you here?!" They cried. Oh it was the sweetest moment. My family, all together again.
The week and a half that I was home was filled with lots of doctor's appointments and lots of family time. But, in the midst of everything going on around me I was still questioning God. "Why am I back here?" As we waited for the test results, I made use of my time and mailed the few "Thank You Notes" and update letters that I had put off mailing. I also had the wonderful pleasure of surprising a dear friend who had just had her first baby. I was SO happy that I got to be there for her, even if it was only for a short time.
The results from the hospital finally came back and the doctors said all was well enough and that I should be good to go. They had found arsenic in my blood (still have no idea where it came from) but the levels were low and they said it "would work itself out of the body".
When I got the green light to go to India I began packing my bags. I packed in one backpack and one carry on. One of them was all food and vitamins, which came in handy, the other was my passport, blankets, camera and shoes. I was going to wear one outfit there and I had one more shirt to change into if needed. I had planned on buying Indian clothes upon arrival.
At last it was time to say goodbye to my family again. I thought goodbye would be easier the second time, but it wasn't... Especially since it was a 4am flight and they were asleep when I departed. Four AM was rough, but I was off to a place where my heart had longed to go since childhood, and I could hardly take it in.
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