Day 28 - Reunification

5 Minutes of Glory

This morning I woke up exhausted, like most of the other days this month, but with one thought in my head: "this is the last morning I wake up alone in the bed."  The morning passed by without a hitch, the kids in school, me pounding away at the computer.  It was only after Binyamin, who was home for the day after having a late-night school trip the day before, reminded to check if Michal's flight was on time that I was pulled back into a state of anticipation.  Just like yesterday, today had turned out to be much less "on edge" than I was sure it would be.

As it turned out, the flight came in early by about 20 minutes.  All the kids wanted to come to meet their mother (and baby) at the airport, except for Chanania, who had an end-of-the-year party in his afterschool electronics activity.  The flight was originally scheduled to land at 3:15 pm, which meant we could pick up Amiel from kindergarten at 2, bring him home, and shortly all head out together by bus and train to make it to the airport before 4 o'clock, about the time Michal was likely to be finished with customs and baggage.  But now it looked like we were going to be hard-pressed to get there before she got out to the welcome hall.  Amiel was brought home, had a few bites to eat, and the five of us flocked to the nearest bus stop.  

At 3:23 we boarded a train for the airport.  Yesterday, it had occurred to me that it would be fabulous if we made a large sign to wave for them when they came out, something to the effect of "We missed you so much!", maybe with a handful of helium balloons, to boot.  Then I scratched the idea, realizing there was no time for such luxuries.  But then I dreamed up a scheme to film the encounter - I'd have one of the kids hold the camera from afar, one kid would grab the luggage cart, and I - I would pick up my wife and carry her off into the sunset, like the ending to some old Western.  But now, seeing that we would likely not have more than a moment to set the stage, if that, I began to let go of even this last fantasy.  And my worst fears (yes, I'm being melodramatic) were indeed realized.  The kids rushed forward into the welcome hall, trying to squeeze in between the throngs waiting to greet their loved ones, but I just looked around the perimeter of the crowd, and pop! there they were, Michal calmly waving to me, one hand on the luggage cart, one hand holding Elisheva's hand, who was sitting strapped onto her in a Baby Bjorn carrier.  I called the kids over, and together we converged on the long-lost portion of the family.

There were no fireworks, not even a residual spark of emotional electricity.  Everyone got a hug and a kiss from mother and baby, and it was time to go on home.  Within 15 minutes we were back on the train, and the honeymoon was over.  Suddenly I was being questioned about what the kid were going to have for dinner, if laundry needs to be done, did I make that appointment to renew our passports at the embassy, and...  It was if she'd only been gone for half a day, she fell back into her position so quickly.  It seems I'm the only one who was deeply affected by this whole things.  Oh well, at least it's finally over.

The Revenge of the Goat

First night back, and she had to remind me of all the goodness I had while she was gone.  Whether jet lagged or just being her unpredictable 5-month-old self, Elisheva aka Vooch-Vooch aka The Goat gave a star performance tonight.  Within an hour and a half of going to bed, I was awakened three times.  The third time I got up I thought to myself, "Enough is enough!  I can't take any more of this!  I've got to put her into a deep sleep this time!"  She apparently read my thoughts and took me to challenge.  The first two times, she calmed down and started to doze fairly quickly, and then it took some time for her to settle into a deeper sleep.  But this time, she meant war!  After an hour in which she never really stopped twitching and whining, I was spent.  I lay her down on the couch, aware that she would commence to scream with all her might, but beyond the ability to care.  I then sprawled out beside her, dazed, trying to figure out what tactic had I not yet used that might have some effect on her.  seconds I was unconscious.  A few minutes later her mother appeared, scowling at me for letting the poor child cry (and what about her poor father?).  She decided the baby must be jet lagged and unable to sleep at this hour.  I was allowed to go off to bed.  Later I learned that The Vooch played happily for an hour before finally konking out.

It Ain't Over

And so, our tale comes to an end, a very anticlimactic end.  But for me, the adventure has just begun.  The adventure is writing down and sharing life's mysteries, intricacies, frustrations, and surprises.  Oh, and I mustn't forget, the Dedicated Son-In-Law gift I was awarded upon my wife's return.  Was it worth all the trouble?  Probably not, but it's a damn good bottle of Scotch.