At cruising altitude

We are currently at 35,000 ft and clicking along at 638MPH, just off the east side of the Japanese Island.  Only another 8 hrs and 44 min until landing.  As for J and I, we are on hour 22 of this adventure and collectively at about 4.5 hours of sleep.

Kiddo has been much, but we did leave for the airport in BKK when she is normally winding down, getting into bed, getting some podcasts, sleep sounds, cuddles and the like.  This time, instead, she got to go to the airport and start this journey.  Our flight time was 2:00am and Kiddo was a champ and stayed awake until then.  She died for about 3.25 hours on the flight to S. Korea, but J and I had to juggle her a bit to get her that sleep.  J got a little more than I did in flight, but I got an hour in the Incheon Airport.

So far it’s been fun.  Tiring.  At times frustrating.  At times boring.  All in all, though, J and I keep ourselves laughing and we’ve kept Kiddo in good spirits.  I guess, after 18 years and 7 with a Kiddo, if we would fall apart at this, we wouldn’t have made it this far anyhow.  Oh, and J…. Thanks.  For all of it.  It’s not always been easy, but damned it we don’t still find a way to laugh, smooch, love, and family hug the monkey.

We did get to have a last dinner with Beer yesterday (our yesterday at least) and that was good.  It was nice to just sit with her.  As we were seeing her off, J had a little cry.  Both in front of Beer and then as we were heading back up to the condo for a last check, last pack, and let’s go.  Kiddo was super sweet and just hugged her, “I’m gonna miss Beer too, Mumma.”  As I write that I get a little teary eyed.  I’ll blame it on lack of sleep; Because, honestly, I will miss Beer also.  She is a part of the family….. After 2.5 years and caring for our child like Kiddo was her own, there is nothing else she can be.  And Beer, if you are reading this; Come to Shanghai.  Even for a long weekend.  That goes for the rest of the constant readers, also.

It’s been an interesting few years, that much goes without saying.  It’s really been an interesting last week, as we have said goodbye to those who we know.  Not only the other expats, but those that we saw regularly- The PV Staff, the market folks we know, Amazon Cafe staff, Shabu place and the family that runs that.  It’s been emotional.  It’s been strangely hard.  Yes, even for me.

Thailand and Bangkok have been home for us.  Maybe not for three years, we needed to have some of the American knocked off of us, but certainly for the last 2 years, and I’d argue that it’s been since about our first Xmas here and Koi Samat.  So, that’s a long time.  For Kiddo, it’s been even more.  Most of her core memories are of Bangkok and this life.  Most of what she knows and remembers is Thai.  We moved 6 weeks after she turned 4, so it can be argued that she has lived half her life in Thailand and by the time we are done with Shanghai (assuming we don’t re-up the contract and decide to try another country) she will have lived more than half her life as an Expat.  If things stay as J and I would like, that will extend to her Uni years and wherever life takes her then.  She will, by the end of this, be International.  At heart, we think she will always have a little Thai girl living in her and we are 100% ok with that.

Now, however, we are enroute to unplugging.  A summer traveling, but then, beaching it.  Just taking 3 weeks to be us.  Beach, eat whatever local thing catches our eye, sleep in, nap if needed, stay up late and see the moon or watch a movie or see a local thing that is happening.  Maybe, like Vietnam, we can all get lost in the rain.  As long as we’re together.

It’s been beyond fun.  It’s been beyond hard.  It’s been life and we take it as it comes- the good and the bad.  I watch Kiddo and I watch J and I see them excel, advance, and become such wonderful people.  Kiddo is so caring, so kind, so fiery, so emotional, so everything.  She is her and if you don’t know her… well, I can only encourage you to do so, because she is something else.  As for J, she is one of the most passionate educators I have ever met and I come from a family of educators.  Each day is hard, but each day she went in and gave it as close to 100% as she could and then some.  She left with a great reputation, a legacy of the EY Reading Room, and so many kids and families sad to hear she was moving on.

We spent three years making it a home, but that is because we are a home to each other.  We are us.  And this is our life.  This is our adventure.  This is us sharing those things, both the good and the bad.  I’ve written about the tough days, the losses, the wins, the frustrations, and the doldrums that have been BKK.  Now, we get to go to a new place and start that process all over again.  The things is…. We are looking forward to it.  We are excited to see and do new.

I love J and Kiddo more now than I did 3 years ago.  I love myself more.  And by the time the ride ends- for me at least- I want to make sure that I saw everything I could and that I had J and Kiddo next to me during that.  We are us and you might not do what we do, but that’s ok.  You did you.  We just hope you were happy in that.  That you felt love and joy.  That you don’t look back wishing for more.  Because we aren’t.  We will do.  It doesn’t need to be 5 star and the best of the best.  I’ve already got the best and the best.  J and Kiddo!  I love you.

Let’s go, Kiddo… and let’s go J.  We are now about 8 hours from LAX and then things get weird.  Jet lagged.  Certainly no longer full Americans.  And we are going to go exploring.  Let’s have a great summer and the time of our lives and then lets go and do it again and again and again.  Thank you, both, for loving, for laughing, and for being a family with each other and me.  Now, where can we get a taco?