Going to Ghana 2010, by Suzanne

I leave soon for what may be my yearly trip to Ghana. Last year Steve and I staggered our trips to Ghana to see Fox graduate from Lincoln Community School – we only overlapped a few days, so as to minimize the time Anna and Grace were home alone. Recall that Fox stayed an extra year in Ghana, living with our missionary friends the Mozleys, to finish high school. He has now finished his first year at Southwestern University, is back living at home for the summer, and has a job as a waiter at The Monument Café, a great job at a great restaurant in town, which he is enjoying. Last weekend we went up to Denton, Texas to see Grace graduate (National Honor Society and Gold Cord, if I do say so myself) from the Texas Academy of Math and Science. She is also living at home for the summer and looking for work. At this point it seems she may piece together several babysitting, office, and retail short-term jobs. Not exactly her dream summer, especially since her parents and Anna are “ditching” her – me for 7 weeks, Steve and Anna for 4, for our travel to Ghana. I am surprisingly not at all worried about leaving our two teenagers home for 3 weeks alone – except of course their fighting over kitchen and bathroom messes, and whose turn it is to mow the lawn. The neighbors are joking about the parties that will be occurring, but I figure they’ll at least have the good sense to put things back in order before I get home. But I also just trust them – they’re responsible almost-adults.

I am feeling sad about “ditching” them, Grace especially since she’s the more vocal about it, and also am feeling introspective about transitions in general these days. There have been bumps putting 5 people back together in a too-small house (Grace got the dining room this summer – Fox had it last summer). Also my Aunt Skeeter passed away this week. She and my Uncle JB had been married for 66 years. A very sad transition for him, although we all rejoice that she is with her Lord and a company of saints after a year’s difficult illness. Leaving my family during these transitional times leaves me somewhat melancholy.

However, I am excited to see my friends and colleagues at Ashesi University, see how babies TK and Ingrid have grown over the last year, maybe welcome Ingrid’s sibling while I’m there, and also to see our church and missionary friends in Ghana. As usual my luggage is being packed full of requested items and gifts – the things that are hard to find or very expensive there (a particular brand of makeup or shampoo, particular books, coffee, diapers, sippy cup, microwave popcorn). When Steve comes he will bring some brisket and BBQ sauce – a big hit at last year’s graduation party!

So, if you please, wish me a volcano-cloud-less Tuesday and Wednesday, no terrorists, no illness, no delays, just smooth sailing as I transition back to Ghana for 7 weeks. Oh, and one of those planes with the individual movie controls built into the back of the seat would be nice. :-)