Beginning Summer 2017

Our flights to the USA were unusual. For several reasons, including Firstborn's return being in December this year, our family was on two different flights. Additionally, our friend L was on a 3rd flight. All flights went to Munich together, then split off, then ended up in Nashville during the same time frame. At one point, CC and the 4 kids' airplane was nose-to-nose with our airplane on the runway! We all had delays due to weather, but made it in eventually. I was grateful to get to fly with Firstborn. We timed our airplane movies to start at exactly the same time, napped together, and survived the delays together. This is just before we all split off in Munich!

We hit the ground running and bought a used car within our first 24 hours. CC and I have not purchased a car in America in 20 years! My dad had been helping us scope one out, so we got it done right away! It's "our" car which she will take over in August. At least that's how we are billing it! 

Jetlag on this end never bothers me. This is what I get to see. 

And this. 

And this. 

My sweet niece often feels sad because the cousins buddy up in the summer and she's on the tail end without a Campbell cousin. This summer she asked her mama if she and I could do some things together. This week we baked a cake together. Oh, and she braided my hair! 

My brother took us to a fun spot for dinner. We left the kids home with some leftovers and went out to eat free-range burgers and catfish. 

The cousins have made the most of these few days starting off here. They've run and played and wanted to know what time the cousins are awake each morning. 

And so, our first week was fun. Just what I needed to melt off the stress! 

Packing Up, Moving Out

Firstborn steadily packed all semester. In fact, she sent some things she wouldn't be needing, but wanted to keep, with her Papa in February. But, as you know, when you move, there are just a lot of little odds and ends when the end of packing nears.

She drove out to see her guy-friend one last time. (Incidentally, I'm immensely proud that she actually learned to drive on a stick-shift, cargo, diesel van in Turkey!) She's technically legal to drive in Turkey now, as the legal age is 18. We began to let her venture beyond back country roads into traffic. 

She had worked and worked, but started to feel overwhelmed at the end. Would the items break in transport? How do I get it all in there? She'd been working for days, discovering new bedside table drawers that still needed sorting. I sent her on to hang with her friend, and told her to let me finish it. Fresh eyes and decisive packing to the rescue. I wrapped and taped and wedged. We got it all in. 

It's a different situation than most kids. She's not just packing for college. She was packing her life. She had to decide which parts of her 18 years she could let go of and which ones she would want to pull out of a box years later to show her children. 

I packed the diploma and transcripts in my carry on! 

Finally, her last morning at home came. I knew exactly how I would find her. This is how I've found her for the last six years, ever since her little surprise baby brother learned how to crawl out of his bed during the night to get to her. 

3AM came, we loaded up, drove to the airport, and began the journey. 

A Bookend in Her Life

Graduation was Tuesday night. Wednesday was teacher check-out. We were set to fly to the USA on Sunday night. So, that left me three days in which to close out my classroom, set the house up to be left all summer, and get us packed up for our trip. But there was one additional crucial component this year. Firstborn needed to say goodbye to Turkey. I knew closure would be important, so I wanted to make myself available to help her in any way I could with this placement of a "bookend" on her time in Turkey. Yes, she will be back. She's coming for Christmas. But, as you know, it's never the same. She will be a college girl. She will be visiting, not living, in this country.

She wanted to go to Ulus, the old town. So, we blocked off Friday and went. We walked up to the castle one last time and popped in our favorite shop. This old couple knew us right away. How many times have I gone in there and taken visiting friends? He immediately instructed his wife to bring us some apple tea. Firstborn spotted some patchwork pillowcases made from old Turkish rugs. She settled on three of them. 

He serves you apple tea; he seals the deal. You sip, then you begin to think there is something in that store you should pick up. 

Then we went in the oldest restaurant in our city. We shared a couple of plates of lamb chops and enjoyed looking down on a quiet street on a Friday. 

I asked if salad and bread came with the meal. I needn't have asked. 

We also each got a bowl of their homemade lentil soup. I can't even describe the creamy, nutty taste. So good! 

We were down there on the holy day, which we normally don't do, but our time was so limited. We drove past Friday prayers. 

The other major goal for pre-Firstborn-moving-away was one last Saturday morning Turkish breakfast. CC had voiced to all of us to save this Saturday morning. We would go one last time. This has been our tradition since 2003. Nowadays, we go about monthly, as our kids' schedules are fuller now that they are teens. We enjoyed our meal together, laughing about things. I was so happy to be there. So happy to have all my children around that table. I asked Firstborn if she could have any part time job while in college, her choice, what would it be. She began to answer that she would like to be an apprentice for a taxidermist. (There is no joke in this. She is serious thanks to learning to stuff roadkill in her Anatomy and Physiology class.) CC heard "taxi," and said, "You want to be a taxi driver?!" It was light and fun. Just being together. It's really not the big vacations, is it? It's all being around a table together. 

Graduation for Firstborn, Final

After the ceremony, there were lots of hugs and congratulations given. Here are some shots I took of her with some of her friends

And teachers....(and by teachers, I mean, people who treat her like family)

And finally when it was all over, we got that family picture!

And then that moment when she realized she was no longer an Oasis student and no longer subject to the PDA (public display of affection) rule...

It truly was a memorable night. We are so proud of you, Firstborn! Now, off to America. Off to buy a car in America for the first time in 25 years. Off to introduce you actually living in your passport country. Off to get your dorm room ready. Off to launch you to university!

Graduation for Firstborn, Part 2

The ceremony was really special. It was the first time for us to have it in our new campus theater. It required some planning. The flag of each student was hung as a backdrop. We practiced with the graduates. Which hand takes the diploma? Which hand shakes the director's hand? CC is a pro these days. 

CC gave an amazing graduation message. The three most important decisions of your life are: What is your mission? Who will be your mate? Who will be your Master?

We had the amazing opportunity to have the former president of Somalia, who is the father of two of the graduates, give a charge to the students as well. It was all terribly exciting. He was late, and even though I am a mom of a graduate, I'm pretty much always needed! By someone! I like that though. So I ran to the children of the president and asked if they knew when he would arrive. They told me, "Oh, he's coming. He's just waiting on his body guards." Oh ok. Body guards. Of course. I was absolutely giddy and trying not to smile too big as I strolled back to the front row, whispering the news to all my friends, answering their questioning looks along the way. Body guards. Sure, we'll wait. He and his family entered, and I showed them to their seats. He flashed me a huge grin as I welcomed him, and I thought, "Here's my chance." He held out his hand to shake mine, and I told him how grateful we were to have him as part of our ceremony. Hey, if given the opportunity to shake a man's hand who was listed in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People, I'm going to do it! His speech was wonderful. He told the story of his village and how there was no school. He began a school there, but the children would not come because they felt they needed food more than education. So, the team began providing lunch for the kids. Soon, they had more students than they ever expected. Those kids grew up to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, teachers. He was first a teacher before moving into politics. He really spoke highly of Oasis. It was pretty cool. One thing that was particularly sweet, and I am certain cultural, is that when the graduates spoke, if they began to choke up when mentioning their families, the president would begin to clap, which the audience followed. It seemed to highlight the tenderness of the moment and offer support. That I had never seen, but I liked it. So, if you get choked up talking to me, I might just start clapping for you.

Any graduate that wished to could give a speech. Firstborn delivered a beautiful speech in which she was thankful and quite clear that it is God that is to be thanked the most. I simply could not be more proud. She graduated with High Honors (and just found out the night before!), but her heart for God, so clearly presented, makes me more proud than anything else. And yes, she got choked up a bit, and the president clapped for her. 

It was a long ceremony and a hot one! But soon, all the graduates were done. They exited to "The Call," a song that holds deep meaning for our family. They threw their caps and were graduated! 

Well done, Firstborn! We are proud of you!

Graduation for Firstborn, Part 1

Last summer, it was hard for me to imagine, as we boarded that plane, that Firstborn's graduation year  2017 had come. When they are born and you think about what year they will graduate, it seems so far away! But I did buy a few things before coming back to Turkey. I bought a Christmas ornament for her with her graduation date. I bought a few signs and banners (so they would be in English!). We already had her party, but I saved this fun door hanger for the actual day. She woke up, and I couldn't seem to get her moving downstairs. I finally said, "Come see the boiled eggs I made!" ha. She knew something was up.

Here she is just before we left for her graduation.

It's funny, isn't it, that you imagine how it will be, but it's not what you imagine? And what you never imagined becomes the most special part. I envisioned a long time for a family picture after she got her gown on (before the mascara would run). That didn't happen. She was whisked away to get her gown on, while I put the finishing touches on her senior display table. Sweet little Sweet Cheeks went from table to table giving each the small gift CC and I always purchase for the seniors. Big Ben wondered when the food would be served and he could take his tie off. Twinkle and Middler laughed with friends. And I wondered where my baby was. I came down the stairs looking for the videographer who I had contracted for all the seniors for that night. And there she was. Right at the bottom of the stairs, looking up into the skylight above. Looking bright. Looking beautiful. Looking accomplished. Looking tall. Looking mature. And she smiled such a smile at me. I imagined a family photo shoot. But what I got was this picture which I will never forget.

Last Day of School 2017

The last day came with graduation to be that night. It was a full day, even though it was only a half day. We had awards ceremonies and programs. My kiddos were rewarded for their hard work all year. The girls all earned the Aslan Award which requires 15 hours of community service and teacher recommendations. Twinkle was given the Turkish II award. Firstborn was given the Yearbook award and was part of a several student tie for the 11th and 12th grade student-of-the-year. They are all smart kiddos, but they also try hard to do their best on their school work. I'm proud of them. 

Sweet Cheeks got an Honor Roll certificate. 

As did Big Ben! 

I had blocked off Tuesday afternoon. No responsibilities were mine except for getting this family of 7 ready to see Firstborn graduate. She and I took off to the mall to get some shoes for her graduation dress. I got my hair done. After getting her through 14 years of school, yes, I got my hair done!