Bring the Boy Home!!
Its been five-and-a-half weeks since we squeezed his neck. With bags packed and a huge grin on his face, he waved goodbye and set off on his first solo trip without family. Tristan has spent the summer back in his happy place – the good ole’ USA! …..and tomorrow, he’s coming HOME!
This move to Bangkok has fallen under that “character building” category for Tristan. Its not a mistake that God has directed our family here and there have been good things that have come of it, but it has not been easy for him especially. This boy has been homesick for a year-and-a-half and he needed this break. Transitioning schools, skipping a grade to move into middle-school, being introduced to a new language and culture, surrounded by sisters, having dad traveling so much and exchanging the freedom of life in the country for the confinements of a city dwelling apartment has been HARD! For heavens sake, this kids’ least favorite food has always been rice. Living in Asia has been uniquely challenging to him. You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy!!
It was time. It was time for him to have a break. To get away. To get back in touch with his “roots” and be reunited with the aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents he’s missed so much. It was time to let him venture out on his own a bit and……it was good for him to be gone long enough to miss us!
He has had the time of his life. This will be the summer that goes down in his treasure trove of memories as an unforgettable adventure. He’s been passed on to someone new every few days which means there’s been no shortage of energy, ideas, outings, excursions, and entertainment to keep him busy! Blueberry picking, swimming, tubing, fishing, hunting, camping, more fishing, eating American food, hiking, hanging with cousins, World Cup watching, making new friends, reconnecting with old friends, exploring and more fishing…..its been non-stop fun!
The dynamic has been very different at home without our balance-bringing boy in the mix. Britain cried almost every night the first two weeks because her sisters were “so boring and she missed Tristan!” There is for sure a void when our boy is gone! But I am SO grateful he’s had this opportunity!
Uncle Isaac and Aunt Jo – welcoming committee in Atlanta
Pillow present waiting at Grandmoni’s
Checkers with great-Grandpa
Tristan’s 93 year old great-grandparents
My favorite pic from Tristan’s trip
Tristan getting acquainted with my best childhood friends’ boys
Braves game with the uncles
Watchin’ the World Cup with cousin David
Getting his fix with Aunt Katherine
Air soft with Aunt Katherine in Athens GA
Tristan sandwich with Uncle Adam
hanging out with cousin Eli in SC
Out on Grandpa’s boat in Columbia SC
Camping in NC with grandparents
Edisto beach with his best buddy Charles
Reunited with friends from school
Saturday morning striper fishing Lake Murray
Shooting range with uncle DJ
What a summer, huh? Im pretty sure its going to take nothing short of a straightjacket and a tranquilizer to get him on the plane this morning to fly back to Bangkok. Cant compete with all that excitement when he gets back here……but…….we do have a pretty cute 3-year-old who is asking daily “when Tristan come back“? She can’t wait to have her bubbly home and I think he misses her even more than he misses his momma 🙂 An entire day of travel time ahead and we’ll have him back home!! Expecting a very tired boy in T-minus 24 hours!!
Brandy saying goodbye (I think Tristan needs a dog!!)
Goodbyes are HARD!
Sending our boy back
