Homecoming

Maeg has finally arrived! We picked her up from SFSO on Friday night. The anticipation was so great, and the waiting so difficult! She arrived, tired, hungry, alternating between ecstatic and tearful, but definitely glad to be on U.S. soil again, and happy to be hugged, kissed, fed, and generally fussed over. She is six months pregnant, and looks it!



Now, the waiting game continues as Krus picks up his permanent resident visa (green card), finishes cleaning the house they are leaving in Indonesia, and says goodbye to his family and lifelong friends in Indo. He flies to SFO on Friday, and has never been on an airplane. Ever. He's never been out of the country. Ever.

We are imagining how difficult life might be for Krus, being thrown into a new land, new country, new customs, new culture, new language, new family, new home, new neighborhood, new absolutely everything. She has prepared a "I am confused" letter in English for him to carry while making connecting flights, in case he can't find his way, which explains his plight (no speaking or reading English, never been on an airplane before, you know, the stuff that makes you queasy and nervous and excited all at the same time). Apparently, the airlines don't extend the "under 17 years old" treatment to new immigrants (you know, being walked to and from transferring flights, getting the little wings as a prize for flying, maybe chatting it up with the pilot in the cockpit). She has called every leg of the arduous journey (close to 9,000 air miles and over 20 hours) asking that he be escorted to connecting flights, etc., to no avail. Hence, the "Help, I'm confused" letter.

For those addressing him that are younger than he (including his lovely wife, no less), Krus will be referred to as Mas Krus, following the Indonesian tradition. I, on the other hand, being the old fart and mother-in-law (I still can't believe I am a mother-in-law, much less a soon-to-be grandma) will simply refer to him as Krus.

We will be shopping for foods that are familiar to Krus (we are now the proud owners of a rice cooker), as well as introducing him to foods particular to the U.S.(what food is truly American, anyway?). I am going to make a peach pie later in the week; he's never had a peach, so we'll see how this goes. According to Maeg, American food is really awful in Indo, so it's no wonder Krus is not exactly looking forward to American food. He hasn't had any good American food. We'll change that in a big hurry. He also eats to live (as does Taylor), rather than lives to eat (like me, Little Johnny, Maeg, and Flannery, and sometimes Ryan, too, for that matter), so the focus is all about the food right now (I am feeding a pregnant woman, remember?). Well, the food and the culture shock. Maybe the food and the public transportation. Food and money. Food and jobs. Food and babies. Food and pregnancy. Okay, maybe just the food. Yep, that's it. Food. Lots of it. Healthy, nutritious (we've been to the farmer's market, and Trader Joe's twice in two days), delightful, satisfying food.