November 19th, 2007 marked the end of the World Race for me. I flew into LA with the rest of the squad and said final goodbyes as we grabbed our luggage at the baggage claim. One final passport check and custom line to stand in and it was over. I gathered my bags and said hi to some racer’s parents who had picked them up in LA and soon headed to the terminal where I’d catch my red eye flight to Minneapolis.
It was then that it hit—the first wave of tears. As I walked to my connecting flight alone, something I hadn’t done all year (you’re never alone on the WR!) reality set in. ALONE. There weren’t 40 familiar faces and voices around me. I wasn’t watching a mammoth pile of luggage…now I only had my own. I actually had to think about where I was going in the airport…I couldn’t just follow the crowd of rowdy Americans! And it ripped at my heart a bit—we really had just parted ways. I remember handing my ID to the ticket lady with tears in my eyes and knew that everyone probably thought I was leaving a boyfriend or something. I even had some flowers from Shawna’s mom—haha! I probably was quite a sight.
I also remember getting to my gate and hearing that familiar Midwest accent again as I waited for the plane. There was something comforting about it…but it seemed almost foreign too. I mean, it had been a year since I’d talked to anyone else but my mom from up north! But it got me excited to see my parents in only a few short hours. With bittersweet thoughts I boarded the smallest little plane I took all year to get back home.
And then I recall my first spiritual attack happening somewhere between 2-3 a.m. as I shifted in my half-sleep on the plane and hoisted my knee on the backseat of the man in front of me. BIG MISTAKE. He whirled around and yelled at me, shared a few choice words, made me feel like a major idiot, and woke up at least three rows around us. Awesome. Not only was I dealing with the pain of leaving my teammates, the anticipation of getting home and the utter exhaustion of traveling for over 48 hours straight, I had to have this guy snap on me in the middle of the night.
I calmly apologized and sank back into my seat, carefully avoiding any knee to chair contact and more tears began to form in my eyes—this I call the second wave. And I knew in an instant that Satan wanted me defeated. I had to recognize that this was a spiritual battle. That it wasn’t about me and it wasn’t about that guy. This was an attack and I couldn’t let it get to me. I quietly rebuked Satan and declared who I was in Christ and regained the victory that was in the throes of being snatched away. I closed my eyes and climbed up in Jesus’ lap and tried to rest for the remainder of my flight.
6:00 a.m. found me in the great Midwest once again and I had one last quiet moment before I met my parents. It was all so surreal. There they were and they looked the same! It really was amazing to reconnect with them. We picked up my brother from his college dorm (What?! My baby brother in college?) Yep, you miss quite a bit in those 11 months! I stayed awake for a few minutes and chatted it up in the car but couldn’t make it home without zonking out. I was blinking my eyes open right as we pulled into our driveway. The feeling was slightly reminiscent of when I was put under when my wisdom teeth were pulled…seriously out of it. I thought I’d get home, take a little nap and be up for dinner, but when my brother came in to wake me up around 5:00 p.m. I just wouldn’t budge. When 8:00 p.m. rolled around I finally rolled out of my bed, even though it took a few minutes to figure out if it was still night or morning. 🙂 All I can say is that your own bed truly is one of the best things after the World Race. Cherish it!
A full pantry full of my favorite foods, a stocked refrigerator, your family, couches, TV…whoa. These are the great things about being home. The not so greats for me were the quiet moments when I’d lay in my bed thinking…thinking…thinking…
Did I really just do this trip? Was it only weeks ago that I was across the world? Is tomorrow really Thanksgiving?? Oh my goodness!! ‘Overwhelming’ can be the general term of most things going on right about now. It’s a word that can be good and bad and generally happens at the same time. If that even makes sense. For you racers out there this will be a common theme, always asking “Does this even make sense?” You’ll constantly question yourself and if the people around you are getting you at all. Or more like if you even get yourself. And that’s just half the fun. Get excited!!
In honor of my World Race friends and especially to those who will be reconnecting with the American soil in a few short days—this blog goes out to you. Know that you are exactly where you are supposed to be and that He always has plans for you. The waves of re-entry aren’t big enough to overtake you, so don’t worry—you’re going to make it! You are loved!!
I’ll be posting more about what’s happened in the last 6 months or so too—look for those blogs coming soon!
