Sunday, January 16th

8:30 a.m.  Meet Adam at CTS for ride to airport
12:40 p.m.  Depart Chicago O’Hare on American
3:50 p.m.  Arrive JFK, N.Y.
6:00 p.m.  Depart JFK on El Al

Hard to believe that the next bed I use will be in Israel.  I've already had my first panic - the brush was missing from my dopp kit.  (Luckily, I had another in my purse.)  I arrived at the Quaker House about 8:30 last night, as planned, and once more am the grateful recipient of their bounteous and inexpensive hospitality.

I am doing that classic "nervous over-packing" thing that has become so familiar.  I had planned to leave yesterday's clothes with my jacket and other Wisconsin-specific items in the car while I'm gone.  Now I'm debating whether to throw the sweater and shirt into my luggage, in case - - I don't know, in case we happen to be there an extra 5 days and I run out of the extra clothes already in my bag and simultaneously have access to a washer in time to wash yesterday's stuff but not in time to wash any of the other redundant stuff I am hauling along.  (I may be talking myself out of it.  Maybe.)

I'll keep my cell phone active until we break ground this evening, so I can do last minute check-in's and phone hugs from JFK.  After that, it will be out of commission until the afternoon of the 30th.  (Thank you, blog - you just reminded me to shut off all those twitter feeds which get sent via text to my phone.)  There is a certain sense of cutting an umbilical cord - which may be a reasonable metaphor for this whole upcoming experience.

Pictures will follow, of course.  If I have internet access at JFK, the "before" shot of the group will follow quickly; otherwise, you may have to wait until I'm safely ensconced in my next resting place.

Allons-y!

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.