Long time gone

Remember those countdown chains to Christmas/Spring break/Summer vacation you constructed back in grade school? Well we've been doing a little of our own countdown here in the Zentil house.

{The countdown chain}That ultra long chain you see in both photos traveled all the way to Noida, India with one half of us. The Nick half of Brie&Nick shipped off to India wayyyyy back in August for eight weeks. That's 56 days/1,344 hours /an eternity, if you ask me.

{gringo necessities}
Before the much anticipated departure ( I think I was sad about it for at least 2 weeks leading up to him actually leaving), we stocked up on the things we thought a white guy might need in India.

On our list?

1. FOUR bags of Beef jerky** This would be the closest he would come to beef the entire trip.

2. XBOX + Loads of games **** Which unfortunately couldn't handle being plugged into a 220v socket. The Xbox run was non-existant after that mishap.

3. The two C's..candy & crackers. Primarily Swedish Fish, Runts and cheese and crackers.

4. A photo of his other half for his new workspace at the Noida office.

5. Lastly, a countdown chain from start to finish, with each day labeled. I wrote in special dates, and the week markers " 4 weeks left", " Mom's Birthday", " 4 years ago today, we said ' I do' " and sentiments of such.

Before this trip, NZ and I have not spent as much as 10 days apart since we started dating back in 2003. To say this time apart from each other was "trying" is an understatement, but I whole heartedly, 100% support him and every opportunity that comes his way. We had known about the possibility of this trip becoming a reality for quite some time, but once a date was set for him to leave--and he started getting his immunizations ( lots of them!) and malaria pill prescription filled, it was like "wow, this is really happening".

So, while NZ worked over in Noida, I did the same out in California. I pulled some extra hours at the office, started the P90x challenge to get the old "me" back from the "trying- to- conceive-me" that I have been a stranger to since we started trying 3 1/2 years ago. Although I was initially upset that this trip would interfere with our plans, in all reality, it has been good for me. I needed a mental break from the stresses of "Am I?" or "Am I not?", and "If I am, should I be doing x..y..z?" It really gets to be a headache to deal with, and the obsessedness never really goes away. I envy those whose husband just winks at them and 9 months later out pops a baby just like Houdini pulls rabbits.

Anyhow I'm totally looking forward to fighting for covers again.

++Stay tuned for India photos complete with Nick's commentary..coming soon++