From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised. – Psalm 113:3

The hardest part of travel is probably the travel! Well, you know what I mean. It’s the logistics and the security lines and the being in the right place at the right moment – especially when eight out of every ten variables are completely out of our hands!

From dealing with malfunctioning AI, to trying to check-in on time, to shifts in the weather messing with the roads, to getting the Uber, to crowded departure halls with disorganized lines, to layovers that are too short, to layovers that are too long, to luggage issues, to 267 identical black suitcases circling the carrousel at baggage claim, to confusing and contradictory instructions from every direction.

But then, when you make it into your seat on the plane there is that combination of relief and elation and excitement; one more leg taken care of… now let’s plan how to get to the next terminal, concourse, gate, airplane – hopefully on time!

Sunrise Sunset

The morning of the day we left Poland, Kraków gave us one more display of its signature vistas with a spectacular sunrise to accompany my morning walk along the river, putting the history, the architecture, the natural beauty and the winter season all on display.

It felt, to me, as if this amazing place was offering me both a reminder of all the beauty and history we have enjoyed as well as a special invitation to make sure that we return before too long.

Late the next day, having spent the night in London before first flying to Charlotte (because why fly direct to Raleigh when you can fit in a two-hour layover in just a 40-minute hop away?), we landed at RDU as the same sun that illuminated Thursday morning in Kraków offered one more amazing show of creativity and light Friday evening.

That’s when the scripture from Psalm 113 came to mind:

“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”

There will be more writing as well as photographs from this 24-day adventure to come, because I have so much to share. But now the travelogue will become entwined with day to day life here at home.

So we landed, we found Rebekah’s Toyota Rav-4 battery completely dead, we called for help, we got going, we picked up Max from his friend’s home and arrived back in Tarboro with time to unpack before collapsing into sleep with grateful hearts and another Great Adventure under our belts.

In love, and because love is the answer – DEREK