TIme travel

I think we've gone through six time zones since we sailed. Plus we crossed the international date line, so really, I'm posting this in your future. We pretty much skipped a day. I know that we'll make up for it on the way back, but it's weird to be sitting on a bench outside the shop, at 7:00 in the evening, saying, "Well, now it's Monday..."

I remember the first time I was ever exposed to time zones--or at least, the first time I was aware of something weird involving the passage of time. I was five, and on a flight from Jacksonville, FL, to Albuquerque, NM with my grandparents. I kept asking my grandmother what time it was, and she kept telling me it was 9-something in the morning. I was amazed at how long that morning lasted. I get it now, of course, but then I didn't know what was going on.

Shannon is going to preach on unconditional love in the church before she moves to Virginia. I told her she could quote me if she wanted to :) and she replied, "Why would I want to quote you?" I said because I was pithy and came up with good sound bytes.

And it was my mom who told her she should preach on what we had written in our posts on the church as it should be. And she came up with another idea, that I won't write about yet, because I don't want to spoil Northside. Shannon's pretty excited about it. If they tape it, I might put up a highlight reel at some point.

I'm also pretty excited that poetry has reappeared in my mind (heart, soul, whatever). I hadn't really written anything since New River, and that was in 2004. I should thank Brandi and Mary Alice for the inspiration. You guys are super-talented. And by the way, Mary Alice, I wish I had seen you dance more than once these last few years.

Uhm, what else. There should be opportunities for some sight-seeing soon, and I'll be sure to get some pictures up for y'all.

You know something? I like what happens when we (okay, when I) discover that the people around me are humans too. I miss that realization sometimes, to my own loss. I do like humans--do you know what I mean? Real--real--people. People whom you know laugh and cry and wonder and hope and love. I keep finding them in the strangest places. It's lovely.