mom’s losing it

There is a scene in Cheaper By the Dozen when the 7-year old twins are in search and destroy mode. In her final moments of sanity before her head blows up, the movie-mom who has birthed a dozen says in her final pre-blast off warning, “Mom’s losing it.”

Been there. Done that. Numerous times.

Every deputation summer, I reach a point of implosion. Too many re-packed suitcases, too many good-byes, too many fast-food drive-thru’s, too many post-presentation second guesses, “Is that what I was supposed to share?”  

A week from today, we go home. With five services behind us this weekend, and five ahead of us in the coming weekend, we’re at the bottom of the 9th. I need a home run. Next Monday, we fly out of Portland on a 10:30 PM flight. Our journey ends more than 24 hours later in Budapest. Through Paris. Again. Need I say more?

As we wrap up our final moments of this ‘good to be here’ summer, my heart is filled with some post-implosion thoughts.

The Nazarene family reunion seems far away but we still have a trunk full of prayer cards.

There are clothes in my suitcase that I NEVER want to see again!

Are we really carrying 4 soccer balls & 3 basketballs, the mementoes of blood and guts sports camps, on a trans-Atlantic journey?

Could Target possibly make their swim-wear sturdy enough to last a summer of chlorine?

Olive Garden was as good as we remembered. Thanks, Shea family!

I miss pool-time with friends.

Why do the girls think that solo trips with Dad are a better ‘treat bargain’?

Oregon and Washington are beautiful. Thank you, Jesus, for making them.

More extended Sunberg family time, please. We missed the Canadian cousins!

Sometimes hotel coffee is good. Sometimes it’s not. Roll the dice.

In two years, will Jenna still want to celebrate her August 16th birthday at Chuckee Cheese?

We have an amazing husband/dad who can drive through the night and get us there safely.

According to Jay, the meshing of Doritos and Taco Bell is genius.

Do the scars from jelly-fish stings ever completely disappear?

Denair, Central California, and the families there were a huge blessing.

One can NEVER get enough Twizzlers, Dr. Pepper and Root Beer!

Nazarenes are incredibly generous. We love our family.

The next time we come back to America, we’ll go home one Sunberg short. Do you really have to be a Senior, Lexi?

Home Assignment 2013 official Sunberg family treat: fill your own yogurt cups and toppings. Note to self: start with a small amount of yogurt!

How expensive can back-to-school shopping be? I feel an losing it moment coming.

Two faithful Nazarene families loaned us their vehicles and one loaned us their home. They saved us a tremendous amount of money this summer, which means more money for ministry. How amazing is that?

Lydia & Jenna have single-handedly depleted America’s boxed ‘cake mix’ supply. One of those, ‘we don’t have these’ cool, American things. 

There really should be a pina-colada limit.

Will our internet provider remember to turn our stuff back on before we arrive?

What are the chances that Air France can get us home this time? And, more importantly, if there are delays, will I have enough in the sleep-deprived tank to not implode in Paris?

Will the Hungarian ants still be in our kitchen when we get home or did they move to a better restaurant?

It’s always good to come home … to both sides of the pond.

We are blessed.