Leaving the U.S.

Hi. This is Eleanore. Today, we are actually leaving the US. It's kind of hard to believe. Today, we are driving to the airport and on our way, we'll drop off Tikvah at Doggy Spring Camp, where she'll bark at chickens, play with Kona the chocolate lab and be loved by Janice, Simon, Trevor, Lauren, and Larry. But, as much fun as that sounds like, Tikvah is curled up behind me right now and looks very sad. I am also sad--a little bit. It's really exciting to go to France, you know, no matter what you're leaving behind!

Frances says, "I feel like I'll miss Tikky really much. I'll miss her licking my face and me rubbing her belly and having her jump up onto our bed when we go to sleep and watching her curl up in a ball. I don't want to miss Tikky."

From my mom:

"It's funny how we all see movement differently--and how we see those differences so vividly when we MOVE! Traveling is exposing Frances and me as weeping and soggy little lovers...missing the people and pets we're leaving before we're even gone. Frances said, "Good-bye...what kind of word is that? Good-and-bye?" Eleanore and Jeff, on the other hand, are already LOVING the future. Eleanore looked at the two of us and our red eyes and shook her head, "What's there to be sad about? We're going to FRANCE for THREE MONTHS, for goodness sake!" Whatever the point, movement of any kind begs more movement--psychologically, spiritually, physically...and that just has to be good.