Ibu And Bibi

At first, Nengah was confused.

"Ibu Emily….Bibi Eric?"

"Tidak, Ibu Emily dan Bibi Emily."

"My ibu, my bibi!" Emily said bursting with excitement.

"Oh…." he said with a smile as he understood that it was both Emily's mom and aunt who were coming.

While Nengah was knocking himself out getting ready for them, he continued to become confused regularly through no fault of his own. Last night before Ibu and Bibi – known to some as Susan and Penny – arrived, he made a dinner we could have if they were hungry when they arrived. He knew we planned to leave for the airport at about 7:00. When we were sitting around staring at a computer screen at 8:00, things didn't make any sense.

They didn't to us either. Emily was of course excitedly tracking her mom and aunt's flight status online. We knew the plane that was to take them to Bali had arrived late in Singapore – KLM posted a delay. The 25 minutes came and went and still no posting of the plane departing – and yet, no new estimated departure time.

I checked the website for Singapore's Changi Airport to see if they had anything more to offer. It showed the plane having boarded, but didn't confirm a departure – for a long time after the plane should have been in the air.

We sat staring at computer screens confused as if somewhere in them was a magic answer. We started calling – the airline office in Indonesia, in Singapore and eventually the Singapore Airport Terminal 1 customer service desk. Either no one answered, or they didn't have answers as to where the plane was or if and when it might reach Bali.

Meanwhile, on a tarmac in Singapore a Dutch pilot was trying to get his plane's engine to start. Ibu and Bibi were happily aboard and just fine. When the plane finally started, he apparently got cleared for departure right away and got his plane in the air. The airport's online flight tracker updated before its employees could figure out what happened – and Emily and I shot out the door, into the pouring rain.

Who would have thought an American couple in a house in a rice field in Bali could track a Dutch plane on a tarmac in Singapore? But there it was….

It took us an hour and a half to navigate our way through the heavy rains to the airport – at which point the sky cleared as if it was making room for Ibu and Bibi to land. They arrived more than two and a half hours later than expected and 43 hours after leaving Los Angeles.

Emily and I stood outside the exit of the airport. Emily positioned herself at the barrier, standing on tippy-toes, craning her neck and looking at each shadow coming from around the bend with a look that said, "Are you my mommy?"

Eventually one of them was.

For people who had spent two days on airplanes and at an airport hotel in Singapore, Ibu and Bibi were full of energy and excitement. In fact, everyone was so happy and excited to see each other that we ended up standing in the arrivals area just talking. I eventually proposed we move toward the car where we could continue the conversations on the hour ride home.

The whole drive home – which was a little longer than necessary because of my bad turn and subsequent backtracking – everyone chatted, caught up, asked questions, told stories and had a great time.

Ibu and Bibi reacted much the way anyone who has every walked into the compound for the first time at night acts – amazed at the stunning beauty of the gardens set off by perfectly positioned accent lights. They took the tour, we put away their bags, got them to their rooms – and then everyone sat up for two hours more talking, drinking and snacking.

Emily's favorite part about arriving somewhere at night is to wake up and see what it looks like in the day. Susan and Penny also enjoyed a tour around the compound by morning light – as it's also amazingly beautiful in a different way.

We all enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on the gazebo overlooking the rice terraces before heading out for a day in Ubud. While I parked myself at a good restaurant and worked Emily toured her beloved Ibu and Bibi around the Ubud Palace, Lotus Temple and then off into the rice fields for lunch at an all-organic restaurant with a stunning view. Of course it was all interlaced with lots of visits to Ubud's many boutiques and shops.

The wonderful thing about Ubud is that you don't have to do anything special to enjoy it. Walking around, seeing what it has to offer, peeking at some rice fields and being together is a great way to spend a day.

It's clear that Ibu and Bibi will poop out early after their long journey and that the dramatic change in temperature and humidity has its effects. However, it feels as though the good times are just beginning to roll.

This is the first time in our journey where our visitors from home came just to see us. It adds an entire other dimension. We have guests. We get to play host. And it's especially meaningful to host people who have done – and do – so much for us.

Sent from my iPad