David: On the Launching Pad

We have T-minus-nine-and-a-half-hours and counting until the Walden Family lifts off the ground at Indianapolis International Airport! We're exhausted from an incredibly busy Saturday but very excited at the prospect of getting underway tomorrow morning. Our friend Sara has kindly agreed to drive us to the airport, and she doesn't seem to mind meeting us here at 5 o'clock in the morning. Now that's a true friend! Heck, I didn't even know there were two five o'clocks in a single day...

Tomorrow, of course, is Fathers Day. Certainly going to be one I'll never forget. In addition to the joy of beginning a journey to bring home our daughter, I'll face the pleasure of traveling with a hyperactive little boy and the distinct prospect of throwing out my back loading all of our baggage into the trunk of Sara's car. ;-) As you can see from the picture, we've packed a lot of stuff. Kathy, an accomplished world traveler, is appalled by the amount of baggage we're bringing along. I have had to remind her that we're taking enough for four people; she's not traveling alone as she most often does. And two of the four people are requiring a fair number of toys. (And no, I'm not one of those two!)

We'll be waking up before the rooster crows, so I should stop this right here. We'll do our best to post daily during the trip and include plenty of pictures. So long, everyone! Next time we're home, we'll be a family of four!