stressed

Tomorrow is the big day, both for us--we're driving to San Francisco then flying to LA then Chicago then London then Dar-es-Salaam then Pemba--and for Justin's mom Vicki--she gets her pathology report from the specialist. Hopefully, she'll have those results before we actually get on the first airplane, so we can hear about it before our marathon trip.

It's been pretty stressful here, what with trying to pack



and get all our medications and immunizations, move out of our rooms that have been home for the past 10 months, as well spend as much time as possible with Vicki.



Poor Juma has been a little neglected, but he doesn't feel it much because when we are so busy, he gets to watch extra Jimmy Neutron and The Backyardigans. We also give him lots of extra hugs.



We've also invited Justin's brother's family over a lot, to spend time with them too, before we go. Which means extra cooking, but that's cool, because Justin and I have discovered we love cooking together. (The dishes, not so much.)

Today's the day to go shopping for all the last minute things, like cheap jewelry for gifts; packets of oatmeal for Juma's breakfasts; ziplock bags for all sorts of purposes; earplugs to block out the 4:30am calls to prayer from the next-door mosque; and photo printer ink so we can give friends copies of the photos we take (there is no place to develop digital photos in Pemba, and no one owns a camera).

The next blog post will likely be from Pemba!