We ended up sleeping in, which wasn't a great thing to do since we didn't pack before we went to bed and we didn't have time to waste. Oops. Secretly, I wouldn't have been too upset if we missed our flight, but it really would have been a big mess to deal with, and a very expensive mistake.
Myrna helped us throw everything in our suitcases and load up the van. I took a couple of last minute pictures of where we were staying and the beauty surrounding us and we headed to the airport.
Where we stayed that last two nights.
This was the view from our window
George dropped us off, and we said our goodbye. There wasn't anywhere for him to park, so he went and circled around while Myrna walked us to our check in. In all the chaos of the taxis and other people and their crazy driving, saying goodbye to George was a very quick goodbye. I'm slightly thankful for that because there wasn't enough time for it to really sink in that it was going to be 9 or 10 months until we saw him again.
We went it and checked in for our flight. Thankfully it was very fast because we got priority check in (thanks to travelling with an infant). I was worried about the weight of our suitcases, but we barely scraped by. It's the worst feeling to me, anticipating arriving at the airport with a suitcase they won't check without charging you a hefty overage fee.
We walked to the security checkpoint where we had to say our final goodbye. Let me tell you this, it was so hard saying goodbye to George and Myrna when they left for their mission, but it was so much harder saying goodbye a second time. It shouldn't have been as hard as it was, because we all know we will see each other again, but it was. I know people go longer not seeing the ones they love all the time, and I just don't know how they do it. I could say all the tears were because I was tired, but it would be a lie. It was a hard goodbye. It was an emotional time in the airport while we waited to start boarding our plane. It was fun to shop a little, since there were quite a few stores that were tax free once through security. Believe it or not, it was a significant difference in price.
Our flight home was uneventful. Lydia got her bed attached to the wall again, I am glad we paid an extra $100 to reserve our seats and there was another couple with a baby who was hoping to get those seats. Too bad for them, guess they should have paid the extra money before we did.
Jeff and Lydia had a little snooze together on the plane
I can say the best thing about the day was coming home to our wonderful children. I sure missed them. Seeing their grandma and grandpa, travelling to Disneyland Paris, visiting a real castle, and so many other things made me think of them and got me thinking about how much they would enjoy what we were doing. I am grateful for our niece who was willing to come up from Lethbridge to fill in for us for the week. I am thankful for all the people who helped her out so we could take this trip. I was very excited to give the children the things we bought for them. We had written them postcards for every day we were there and saw something they would have enjoyed. I hadn't gotten around to mailing them while we were there, so I mailed one every day after we got back. They were excited to get them in the mail.
This truly was a trip of a lifetime. I can't say that we won't ever go back to England or Paris, because if you had asked me a year ago if I would have found myself there, I would have said no, so who knows if and when we will ever go back. Honestly, I still check almost every day for a good deal to travel there again, will it happen, probably not, but I can dream. I can say it was a one time opportunity, to travel across the ocean to visit family while they serve so selflessly for our church, and to introduce them to our new baby while she was still so little. That will never happen again simply because she has already changed so much, the experience could never be repeated, we don't get those precious moments of a new baby back. I am so thankful I was given this opportunity and they are memories I will hold so near and dear to my heart forever.
This is what made the trip worth it
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