We
flew into Boston yesterday, Good Friday.
I’ve been playing with a lovely headache that with the turbulence and altitudes
is something extra special. It reminded me
of our trip back from China with a nine month baby in tow. I had me a kind of headache going then that
resembled a large Samoan native cleaving my skull open like a fresh melon. It’s caused by a combination of hormones,
stress, and lack of sleep that pile on top of each other until my cranium
revolts. In a big way.
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| the finish line in the distance- so cool |
Allie Gibbs came to
meet us at the airport and escorted us back via bus and subway to her brother’s
dorm. Both the older Gibbs kids go to
college at Emerson, not even a mile from the finish line. Their parents are our closest friends- a
friendship that began some twelve years ago when we discovered we were both
adopting from China. They had just been,
and had invited us over to meet their family.
We told them that was their crucial mistake. We have since latched on like some noxious dingle
berry. Can’t seem to shake us
loose.
We spent our first
night reacquainting ourselves with college dorm life and catching up with Gabe
and Allie. Just relaxed and ordered
pizza. After an interesting night on an
air mattress that had a slow leak- I woke up with a start at two-thirty in the
morning as my husband got up to use the restroom and I was pitched violently
into a black hole, we actually managed to acquire more sleep than I have gotten
in the last four days.
We hit the ground
running this morning, fueled by a wonderful large Caramel Flan Latte from
Starbucks. The sun was shining bright
throughout the city. It reflected off
the old stone churches and tall glass buildings as if on proud display to welcome
the throng of runners who were ready to take it all in. Talk about a charged and celebratory
atmosphere! It is hard to put it into
words.
Outside the Old South
Church by the finish line special volunteers were giving out blue and gold scarfs
to the runners- to commemorate the colors from last year’s marathon. They were all different, crocheted in special
patterns. I chose one from around the
lady’s neck and she took my hand and said that this scarf was made with love and
hope from a member of a church in Vermont… She told me it was interwoven with
love and courage.
I was a bit
overwhelmed actually, moved to tears. I
have never been the recipient of something like that, a gift made by someone
who doesn’t know me and was sending love and support to a faceless person who
mattered to them. I wore that scarf
proudly, and smiled at the many other men and women I saw throughout this
gloriously wonderful day who were proudly wearing their own unique
scarves.
Allie made such an
insightful comment about the experience, the entire day really. She said it’s interesting how Easter is
tomorrow, the time for rebirth and redemption, and that is what was going on
all around us. “Boston Strong” was everywhere. After the horrible evil of last year- healing,
grace, rebirth, God’s goodness has triumphed.
Such a beautiful
thing to see and I am so incredibly blessed to be here to experience it.
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| My husband said he forgot to dial down his halo before the photo |
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