Perhaps atypical of many adventure journals, I begin this one with the day I left home, as opposed to the day of arrival in the destination country. My family and I went to breakfast, not yet in possession of the reality my prolonged absence would produce. My daughter, Lexi, played and cut up as she normally does. I am so proud of that girl (could not have cloned one any more like me).
As we finished our breakfasts and entered the car for the drive to Tulsa I guess that is when I realized this would be the longest I had ever been away from Lexi since she was born. I have been away on trips before, lots of trips, but those usually lasted only a week or so, and most were domestic where I could phone home easily. So the feeling of this one began to be very different, in that moment. I kept it to myself, not wanting to let on that I was feeling doubt.
The drive to Tulsa was quite. No one spoke too much. Things we did discuss were typical of conversations one might hear in our car as we drive to the grocery store. Lexi was still being Lexi; there is truly no other way to describe her. She is a unique child.
We arrived at Tulsa International Airport a couple of hours before my flight to Atlanta. Tori and Lexi came in with me, helping me moving my three heavy pieces of luggage. One suitcase was large and heavy, very heavy. After all, two months away from home requires many clothes. So Lexi helped pull one bag into the terminal. We walked around for a while, just being there. Lexi found a small play area and of course went right to it. I took a few photos of her with the camera on my phone. She was “hiding” inside a faux-hollow tree that has a slide. She also sat astraddle of a large plastic lion as if she were truly riding the king of beasts.
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