Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 12/05/2008 - 11:10
Forums
Oden Antarctic Expedition 08

I understand you have recently embarked on a journey to Antarctica.  Wow, I can only imagine how exciting this must be for you.  You must have spent the months leading up to this adventure talking of nothing else!!  

I do find it rather surprising that you are able to leave your family for such a long time, especially during the holidays.  I'm sure it will be hard to celebrate Christmas on a freezing cold boat with a bunch of strangers when your family is at home in the hot tub drinking a nice bottle of wine...  I heard a rumor that you will also be missing your daughter's 21st birthday!!!!  How sad.

Well, my question is... how will you ever survive for so long without your wife, son and beautiful daughter?!?!?

 

 Sincerely,

 Anonymous  

Fri, 12/05/2008 - 17:17

ashley stephens

you talked to me when you came to the blechers at my school and i like your penguin hat it's awsome!!! I can't belive you get to go to ANTARTICA. I hope you have fun on that big boat. I THINK THAT IS AWSOME !!! From cophenhagen

Sat, 12/06/2008 - 13:46

Jeff Peneston

You seem to know me so well.  Except that mostly I have spent the last several months contemplating how much I would miss my dear family.  My family has chosen a lifestyle of service to others that is reflected in the way that we work each summer at a non-profit children’s camp.  I can’t tell you how many times, after we have given another exhausting day to help the kids at camp or to volunteer with one of the school booster organizations, that I have turned to my loving wife and said, “it is a good thing that we do this”.  This expedition to Antarctica is a heavy burden on my family back home.  But they are used to sacrifice and risk taking so that others can have an educational experience.  My 22-year-old son has a heart as big as his giant body and he has stepped up to cover my household chores.  My beautiful 20-year-old daughter has been living in Denmark during a college study abroad experience since August.  She has been gone longer than I will be in Antarctica but at least we all know it will lead to a better international understanding of American Thanksgiving traditions and she is working hard to help the poor Danes appreciate peanut butter and cranberry sauce.
You ask how I will survive without my family and I can tell you that I am never truly away from them. Like the lines from the World War II pop song says: “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams…”Be sure to check out the video that I just tried to post on my 12/6 journal.  It is a hoot.
Take care,
Jeff Peneston