Another corner of our busy season is turned. Maki took off for Christmas in New Zealand last night.  Every time he flies, it strikes me what a savvy kid he really is.  He’s so relaxed about traveling, having lived between countries from the time he was a baby.

His mom and dad are savvy at this kind of thing too. But this was the first time I was in charge of his travel plans (from this end, anyway—actually, I can’t take much credit as his mother arranged the tickets, I just drove him to the airport!) I was the fussy one…making sure over and over that he had his passport and his oversized present to his mum that he’d bought at last week’s craft fair…I wasn’t sure if at 13, things changed and they start traveling unsupervised.  Of course, there was nothing to worry about.

The flight was two hours late because of the rain storm in LA, but what providence that some of our dearest friends recently moved an hour from the airport!  So we were able to entertain Justine, hang out, have dinner, and watch a movie in a cozy place as we waited. He didn’t leave till 11pm in the end, but I continue to be  how when potentially stressful things happen, we find there is a comfort zone waiting in there somewhere. Even the skies cleared up significantly as we first left for the airport in the afternoon, and Maki pointed out a fuzzy rainbow.  We took it as a sign that everything would be okay.

And it was. And it will be.

Happy Christmas, Maki.  Have a great time with your family in NZ.  Big love to them, too!