We have been staying at the Art Factory with Rick and Mary Beth Holladay for the last 2 weeks. We sorted through the last stuff that we brought from the house. In and amongst administration, wrapping up our life in Germany Willie wrestled through the tedious process of trying to obtain our Sudanese and Syrian visas through an agency in Berlin. We are behind schedule, but we realize it is better to have a base from where we can complete the final preparations. It is freezing cold outside and it would have been very difficult if we were already on the road.
How do I feel? Excited, apprehensive, uncertain, definitely a little afraid...maybe even more than a little...
Excited - this is quite a different adventure and honestly not something I've ever dreamed of doing; not because I would not have wanted to - just because it was out of my realm of things possible to do - it was impossible.
I was in Namibia exactly a year ago when the seed of the dream was sown in my mind. The sower? Willie. The soil?
Riddled with stones of but's and how's with which Willie was peppered for months. I look at the glass half-empty, so it was not difficult to branch off the main road onto small sidetracks of ''it is simply not possible''
The seed germinated, in spite of the stones, through Willie's persistence.
Impossible gradually morphed into maybe-possible as I watched the car's conversion in June. Maybe-possible to possible! when I watched Barney (our CEO's) excitement when Willie shared his vision. Excitement was stirred into my heart, gradually overcoming my resistance.
Apprehensive and uncertain: I am uneasy and fearful, at times, for what might go wrong. Many of our family and friends have expressed the same concerns. Several of the countries on our route had safety issues in the past as well as currently - it is only realistic to consider the risks. Does that mean I rather not go? No...but I do think different about things, and I will share more about that.
We've test packed the car a few times: first time around we were excited - we had more space than what we thought. Second time: several boxes did not fit. Now we will repack and try tomorrow again. By Tuesday it's got to be in or out.
How do I feel? Excited, apprehensive, uncertain, definitely a little afraid...maybe even more than a little...
Excited - this is quite a different adventure and honestly not something I've ever dreamed of doing; not because I would not have wanted to - just because it was out of my realm of things possible to do - it was impossible.
I was in Namibia exactly a year ago when the seed of the dream was sown in my mind. The sower? Willie. The soil?
Riddled with stones of but's and how's with which Willie was peppered for months. I look at the glass half-empty, so it was not difficult to branch off the main road onto small sidetracks of ''it is simply not possible''
The seed germinated, in spite of the stones, through Willie's persistence.
Impossible gradually morphed into maybe-possible as I watched the car's conversion in June. Maybe-possible to possible! when I watched Barney (our CEO's) excitement when Willie shared his vision. Excitement was stirred into my heart, gradually overcoming my resistance.
Apprehensive and uncertain: I am uneasy and fearful, at times, for what might go wrong. Many of our family and friends have expressed the same concerns. Several of the countries on our route had safety issues in the past as well as currently - it is only realistic to consider the risks. Does that mean I rather not go? No...but I do think different about things, and I will share more about that.
We've test packed the car a few times: first time around we were excited - we had more space than what we thought. Second time: several boxes did not fit. Now we will repack and try tomorrow again. By Tuesday it's got to be in or out.