Getting up and running

After a long flight from MSP to AMS and just before our flight to TBS, Sophie finally gave in to sleep. The first leg of our journey was quite pleasant, considering: we were given bulkhead and a bassinet with an extra seat so we could stretch out a bit. The second leg, however, was not quite so pleasant for me, as I got airsick and had to hand over responsiblity for both kids to Giorgi, who was a champ to take them both for the majority of our 5-hour flight, as I sat with my head between my knees trying not to throw up. Ugh.

For the first time since I've been coming to Georgia, only Giorgi's brother was waiting at the airport with his family. It was wonderful to see them, but strange not to have a huge crowd waiting for hugs and kisses as soon as we passed through the glass doors and entered the country. However, things got a bit more exciting when we all piled into the Toyota T100 that Giorgi had shipped last year (Gocha's family in the back and ours in the front -- sans car seats) and began the final leg of our journey into the back country of Georgia to meet Giorgi's family at the farm where they were finishing up a year-anniversary party of Babuli's death.

In Georgia, after a death, the family mourns seriously for 40 days (e.g. no parties or good times) and then after 1 year has a farewell party for the deceased. This was the party we came upon at dusk after our long journey. Hoards of people were there, the sun had just gone down, and the electricity was out. It was a surreal experience to be descended upon by friends and relatives one by one hugging and kissing but only visibile by the quickly fading light of the day and then only by cigarettes and cell phones. Luca disappeared almost as soon as the car door opened, as the women needed to hold him each and every one. Sophie would have had the same fate, but stuck close to me as she was not ready for the overwhelming family this time. We finally reached our beds when the generator was just getting up and running and slept.