Mysteries
Children are mysteries, ok, let me rephrase that – Mich is a mystery, he is truly fearfully and wonderfully made.
From the time we were getting set to travel back to the states, he begun telling people how he is not going any where, that he is just escorting mummy, when daddy is through with work he will come home. In the mean time we were supposed to send him his bicycle – This from the boy who was always reminding his teachers and friends how he is going back to Dallas where he won’t be harassed to read and write – mbu.
Anyway to the last minutes at the airport, he was preaching the same gospel but when push came to shove he thought he would hold on to Nkosi and drag him along since his plan of staying wasn’t exactly working. It was an emotional time for me just watching him, crying and tagging his cousin along saying they had to go together. Nkosi had the look of – dude, I don’t know what you are about but I have nothing to do with this, you made your bed so you sleep in it.
After a while Mich let go and the most interesting thing happened, as soon as we crossed the customs line, he was all excited and bubbling about how he is going to see daddy and how it must be snowing in Dallas. People?! Just what are kids made of? I wish I had such buttons that can be switched at the snap of a finger. He totally forgot he was having issues.
The flight to Amsterdam was ok; he slept right through the 8 hour journey. Our only trouble was the landing bit when ear pressure set in and he wailed like a baby. He was quite happy that it was over only to realize we had another flight (my bad, I should have prepared him). Our flight from Amsterdam to Dallas Fort worth was 10 long hours, it felt like forever – we ate, slept, ate again, watched TV, slept, ate e.t.c
Finally landed at Dallas Fort worth airport at 2:10pm. I had to fill out a declaration form. If you carried billions of dollars, some animal in your luggage, had some food, vegetables, roots, meats, or such kinds of weird stuffs, then you indicated that yes I brought in some voodoo and so on. Now all I had was banana chips, curry powder, peanut butter – you know nothing major, so I didn’t think that was worth declaring. When asked by the officer if I had any food, I said well not really just some snacks. He asked me where I was coming from – Uganda, and how long have you been away? – five months. He smiled at me and asked me to follow line one. I should have known, the line comprised of mostly Asians and Africans. I guess its hard to believe that people can go to their native countries and not come back with food stuffs or something. An Asian was at the front of the cue being asked whether he had food, he quickly said no, then the lady checked his bags and pulled out all sorts of things – “sir, when I asked if you had any food you denied – this is food, this is food, this here is food”. When it was my turn, I said very quickly that I had food and that made my life easier.
Before long we were out and found Sam waiting, it was a good reunion. Mich was really happy to see his dad, gave him a big hug and was quiet the rest of the journey. I had to keep checking that he wasn’t a sleep, he seemed so content seeing mummy and daddy together again. I guess for him it’s the security, life is all good now. He is a different person now, listening to me, obeying immediately and just being a whole lot calmer, wow it’s unbelievable.
From the time we were getting set to travel back to the states, he begun telling people how he is not going any where, that he is just escorting mummy, when daddy is through with work he will come home. In the mean time we were supposed to send him his bicycle – This from the boy who was always reminding his teachers and friends how he is going back to Dallas where he won’t be harassed to read and write – mbu.
Anyway to the last minutes at the airport, he was preaching the same gospel but when push came to shove he thought he would hold on to Nkosi and drag him along since his plan of staying wasn’t exactly working. It was an emotional time for me just watching him, crying and tagging his cousin along saying they had to go together. Nkosi had the look of – dude, I don’t know what you are about but I have nothing to do with this, you made your bed so you sleep in it.
After a while Mich let go and the most interesting thing happened, as soon as we crossed the customs line, he was all excited and bubbling about how he is going to see daddy and how it must be snowing in Dallas. People?! Just what are kids made of? I wish I had such buttons that can be switched at the snap of a finger. He totally forgot he was having issues.
The flight to Amsterdam was ok; he slept right through the 8 hour journey. Our only trouble was the landing bit when ear pressure set in and he wailed like a baby. He was quite happy that it was over only to realize we had another flight (my bad, I should have prepared him). Our flight from Amsterdam to Dallas Fort worth was 10 long hours, it felt like forever – we ate, slept, ate again, watched TV, slept, ate e.t.c
Finally landed at Dallas Fort worth airport at 2:10pm. I had to fill out a declaration form. If you carried billions of dollars, some animal in your luggage, had some food, vegetables, roots, meats, or such kinds of weird stuffs, then you indicated that yes I brought in some voodoo and so on. Now all I had was banana chips, curry powder, peanut butter – you know nothing major, so I didn’t think that was worth declaring. When asked by the officer if I had any food, I said well not really just some snacks. He asked me where I was coming from – Uganda, and how long have you been away? – five months. He smiled at me and asked me to follow line one. I should have known, the line comprised of mostly Asians and Africans. I guess its hard to believe that people can go to their native countries and not come back with food stuffs or something. An Asian was at the front of the cue being asked whether he had food, he quickly said no, then the lady checked his bags and pulled out all sorts of things – “sir, when I asked if you had any food you denied – this is food, this is food, this here is food”. When it was my turn, I said very quickly that I had food and that made my life easier.
Before long we were out and found Sam waiting, it was a good reunion. Mich was really happy to see his dad, gave him a big hug and was quiet the rest of the journey. I had to keep checking that he wasn’t a sleep, he seemed so content seeing mummy and daddy together again. I guess for him it’s the security, life is all good now. He is a different person now, listening to me, obeying immediately and just being a whole lot calmer, wow it’s unbelievable.
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