I Will Follow You to the Ends of the Planet, Daughter

The Runaway Bunny…

“If you become a bird and fly away from me, said his mother, ‘ I will be a tree that you come home to.’”      

It’s official- Sierra just signed a contract to teach English to Chinese students for an entire year- late August to June. Her and her boyfriend, Eben Yonnetti, will be placed somewhere in the southwestern providence of China (Sichuan) and will most likely be in and around the city of Chengdu. They will teach 7-14 year olds. Yes, I will miss her terribly. But I’ve already looked up flights from JFK to Shanghi and guess where the Rossfleters are spending Christmas/Bryce’s B-day and New Years this coming year- hanging with Sierra in China. There is no obstacle, no distance that can keep me from my kids.  I just hope they continue to choose cool places (like Nepal last year) to settle in for awhile so I can come visit THEM and the new exciting country.  I’ve also looked into hikes (and mountain bike adventures!) along the Great Wall. WOW!

I asked the son if he “was in” and he gave me a crooked look that said, “Of course- what do you think?” The same question was delivered to the husband, but I hear, “I don’t know, I’ll have to think about it. Who will take care of the animals?” which has been his answer for every winter trip we’ve taken for 28 years. We ALWAYS figure out that tiny, tiny bump in the road. I really don’t even listen to his reply USUALLY and just get him a flight anyway. He just likes to play hard to get or something and give the illusion of power and control but in reality, he certainly doesn’t want to be left at home. I gave him the freedom to make a choice about our recent bike trip to Alabama- he said, “no, I don’t want to go,” and so I got only 3 flights. Then our friends, the Pennels, from Michigan decided to go and Todd would have been THE ONLY ONE LEFT OUT. So I had to get him his own fight separate, on a different airline, where he had to inconveniently sit in the airport and wait for us going and coming because we couldn’t coordinate flights and times. No more. I will ask him his choice but then ignore him and buy one for him anyway. If he stays home, all he will do is work anyway, extreme German work ethic that he has. That’s what we do when we are married for this long- take care of each other in whichever way is necessary, even if it’s ignoring each other and doing what we know is best.

I told Sierra, if she decides to wait to have children until her mother’s age- 34 & 36, she has a ton of years to travel and live wherever she wants. Right now, that would be 12 different countries. “But when it is time to have a baby, please consider coming home or nearby. If you want your father to build you a home or have us take care of your animals when you travel or BABYSIT, you have to be local.”

She says, “You can’t tell me what to do, Mom.”   And I just laugh.  

All my money in the coming years (and my husband’s!) will be spent chasing my children around the planet, having adventures with them in their new home as we did with them for so many years growing up. And I hope they want to return home sometime too- and be like that wonderful book, The Runaway Bunny…

“If you become a bird and fly away from me, said his mother, ‘ I will be a tree that you come home to.’”