Things change fast these days

With only a few hours notice and and through an Amazon sized river of tears,
we caught the last international flight back to the states this weekend. 

For weeks we'd been talking with our friends about how this pandemic might be our chance to get "stuck" in Brazil and get our visa extended even longer...alas, we ended up having to leave early instead.

We got notification early afternoon that our original flight a few weeks from now was cancelled and there would be no more international flights on our airline after the last flight departed the following morning at 4am, and they could not transfer us to any other airlines. We were heartbroken but felt a clear and quiet peace about getting going.

We also felt wrapped up in love as we departed there and landed here. It was a whirlwind few hours to gather up our things, settle arrangements for our house and van, and book a bus to get us the five hours to the Manaus airport. Word spread fast and people kept pouring into our house to say good byes and offer help. We left much undone, and they came back later to clean up and say goodbyes for us to people we didn't get to.

I tried to snap this photo too fast, but a whole enterage of loved ones were waiting at our door to load luggage in our van and accompany us on motos to the bus station. It was a good thing--the back door latch broke and luggage spilt out onto the road. Our good friend José jumped right up and just road in the back to hold it all in. 

When we arrived at the bus station, there was a crowd there to greet us and haul our things onto the bus and we were literally wrapped up in so many hugs and expressions of love and encouragement and parting gifts, including a warm dinner all packed for us for the trip. A few also serenaded us with the tender hymn ''Each Life that Touches Ours for Good"

  

The bus driver was so kind and compassionate and offered to check with his boss to see if he could just take us straight to the airport so we didn't have to unload into taxis from the bus station to get there. Even though that didn't work out, it really cheered our hearts.

When we finally got to Manaus in the middle of the night, the taxi guys worked to cram us and our luggage in two taxis, and when one of them wouldn't start, the other driver and David helped push start him.

The airport was very quiet. We had time to enjoy eating the last of our cupuaçu before we got to customs.

The flight was pretty empty, so we had whole rows to stretch out to try to sleep.

When we landed, loved ones here had already rented a van for us to get from Orlando to our own van in Daytona beach an hour away.

We have 14 days quarantine now and a long journey back to Utah eventually.
For now we are trying to relax,
and catch up on laundry...

 and sleep...

and some family history...



..and now that we have more time and faster internet, hopefully we'll also finally catch up on all the other glogs we got started and never finished posting!!

Prayers and love to all of you to continue to be well and safe where ever you are!