Kipepeo ~ or 4:30am & What's a Mom to Do?

It's 4:30am ~ he's leaving on a 9:25 am flight for Washington, D.C. and then in 3 days headed to Africa for more than 2 years...and he knows approximately 5 - 10 words in Swahili. Helpful words like fox, elephant, goodbye, fly, and, my absolute favorite ~ "kipepeo" ~ butterfly. Is there any wonder a mother can't sleep?

And yet, perhaps, "kipepeo" will ultimately be my assurance for him. These past 4 1/2 months have brought foundational-shifting changes to all our lives ~ difficult, painful, challenging, necessary, and still shifting, changing. A few weeks ago, I spoke with a dear friend about such pivotal, life-altering change, and she reminded me of a wonderful "summer of butterflies" in her backyard when our children were young together. "Do you remember the cocoons, just before the butterflies emerged?" she asked. I did. They were not a pretty sight, gauzy, twisted, webby orbs, oozing and bulging ~ but, yet, a metamorphasis necessary for the beautiful wonder of a yard full of colorful new butterflies.

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. ~ Anonymous

Kipepeo, indeed. I think he will be just fine. And so will his mom.