Reminiscing

Sarajevo is haunting me.

Yesterday, we finally got around to hanging pictures on our wall.  Out of all our framed items, including family photos, the tiny map of Sarajevo was the one that made me stop and look for quite some time.

Today, while reopening a taped-shut, industrial sized box of Quaker oatmeal packets, I discovered that the movers had carefully wrapped and packed inside two jars of Bosnian honey.  My heart gave a quick little jump, and a sad smile crept over my face.

It seems I will never escape Sarajevo.  Nor would I want to.  Sarajevo will always hold a special place in my heart.  It was my first time living overseas, of course.  Duh.  But it's all these other little things that will make Sarajevo tug on my heartstrings.  It's where Liam learned to ride a bike.  It's where Sam first slept in his own crib.  It's where Bella finally had her own fenced in yard.  It's where Geoff and I made amazing, life-long friends (saying good-bye to them is for another post).  It's where I learned to love another country and culture, almost as much as my own.  Sarajevo changed me, for the better.

I remember writing a while back that I would talk about our departure from that amazing place.  It was tough.  No.  More than that.  It was heart-wrenching.  Our flight out was early, requiring us to leave our home at 6 a.m.  Geoff and I woke while it was still dark, in order to get some coffee and a bit of quiet before the chaos ahead.  As we were about to take our first sips, the sunrise call to prayer began to echo softly up the hill.  The haunting notes hung heavy in the air, and we just stood there, listening.  We hugged each other as it ended, knowing it was a lovely way to say good-bye.

We had a hectic 45 minutes, getting the boys up and ready, getting the suitcases and Bella-in-her-cage outside, ready for the van.  When it arrived, we piled in, and began our slow descent down our hill.  I did not bother to hide my tears as I silently said good-bye to our house.  At the bottom of our drive-way, the view of the city was bathed in the first rays of sun, peeking up over the mountains.  As we pulled away, I looked behind me, not wanting to miss my last seconds of Sarajevo.  It was gorgeous.  And we miss it.

We know new adventures await us.  But there will never be another Sarajevo.  Volim te, Sarajevo.  Vidimo se, nadamo se.