Flick

Here we are.

The place we have only dreamt to be, for the past three and (nearly) a half years.

And it is still as surreal as the day we embarked on this journey.

We're about to board and I am in a revolving pinch-me-it's-real state.

We arrived and went to the ticket agent. As we checked in, she was a little...snippy. Our destination became known and she asked why we were going where we are going.

And, as we have seen over and over again this week, the switch flicked.

Her eyes lit up and there was a compassion in her voice, a care and desire to know more - not heard before that moment.

And the underlying theme we have felt over and again recently prevailed.

There is this deep care and ache for the orphan. Innocence lost and vulnerability inevitable, at the fault of no one.

And we have the privilege of being a part of maybe just a little change.

They've called us now. We'll stand in another line...one of only a dozen or so, I suspect...over the next twenty-four hours. We've done all we can do to prepare. There's no second guessing, no double checking for items forgotten.

Here we are. As we step forth, we don't - we won't - look back, but look only ahead to all that awaits on the other side.