Bavaria

Mom wanted me to post my adventure on the blog, so I've copied part of my e-mail to Mike. We are all doing well here. Half the family is jet lagged and the other half has pretty much adjusted so I have a pretty interesting sleep schedule still. As much fun as we had (which was alot) it feels good to be back in our house and back to our life.

I loved reading all of your memories of the Provo house. I will always remember moving in with the house half done and all of these projects mom wanted us to finish and I didn't have a clue how to do them or the time to do them (I thought, I have since learned how busy life really can be). I remember finding out we were pregnant with Jane in that house, being sick in that house. I remember Megan and I used to talk every week and I would normally spend that time working in my yard (weeding). I remember always coming home from Brick Oven late at night and the kitchen light would be on and every cupboard open. -Brick Oven- I remember painting the rooms and the trim and the windows. I remember Hendrix, the best cat ever, lounging on the front porch or snuggling me on the couch. I remember holding Jane and sitting on the back steps waiting for Mike to come home (I was lonely and postpartum). I remember fighting with my husband- ALOT. I remember playing with my husband too- a couple of concerts, movies, a few crazy trips. Opposite schedules much of the time. Mostly I'm happy that I got through the time I lived at the Provo house(not because of the house). Is that a tribute?

so here is my adventure-That was the most exhausting trip ever. I don't know if I can do it again this summer. It was worth going home but knowing what I could be facing I don't think I can get myself up to it again. I don't know, you never ask a pregnant woman when she's going to have her next kid. Just to give you a rundown- not complaining mind you- I will tell you the details.

First, you know how I was going to fly to Raleigh then drive to Charleston, and I made all my reservations (mini-van and lodging). I called and listened to their 72 hour recordings. Didn't hear anything to Ramstein. I called and they told me they had just switched all of their channels to Dover. Called two days before and switched all my reservations to Dover. Called day before to listen to recordings and nothing to Ramstein. Called and talked to someone and they told me they had switched everything to McGuire. Call McGuire first this time, confirm and then call and change all of my reservations again. Problem, the car rental place closed by five at McGuire, so that meant a very short stay at Geof's. Our Southwest flights went well except that there was one more stop than indicated. The kids were great. Ellyn had just a couple of moments. We were able to do curbside check-in and that was a huge relief. We got into Charleston late- oh Mike it was so warm and balmy, in the middle of winter- I hired a porter to cart all of my stuff down to the Avis bus station. Got over to Avis, rented van, and took off at 10:30 with mapquest directions. Stopped for Wendy's for the kids, got to Geof and Darla's at 1:10 a.m. Ellyn kept me up until 4:00 after keeping me up the night before we left from 1:00 to 3:30 after I went to bed at 11:30 and had to get up at 4:30 (I don't know what terrorist organization she was working for but I'm pretty sure I would have given them any info. they wanted). We woke up at 8:00 and left at 9:00 and drove to McGuire. Have I mentioned that our poor Jane was sick with a fever and cold this whole time- even with medication? Drove to McGuire, tried to call on the way to see if Avis would let me drop off the keys since it was less than 24 hours but the number I had been given was a fax number. So I got there in time, the girl was very nice and told me to bring in the van the next morning. Got us checked in to the dirtiest, grossest military lodging I have ever been in (military or otherwise). We crashed, ordered pizza, and then went to bed. Oh, we had stopped by the airport and found out that nothing was going out until Friday afternoon. So the next day I went back to Avis and rented a car. Jane was too sick to walk anywhere and I found out they had no taxi service on post or in town- is that crazy at a military post? So we had a low key day, went to the commissary and PX, went over to lodging to print out the letters that I needed, which is where I saw the news about HHC. Seeing Pionk's name I just burst into tears (just thinking of his wife, she's the first wife that I have known who she is). I'm sure everyone in that lounge thought I was psychotic, but I was only in there for a second. That night Ellyn had a major accident and I had to scrub everything out in the tub (making the tub off-limits). So yesterday morning (Jane felt much better starting the afternoon previous) I dropped Jane off with our first load of luggage, brought two more loads, checked out of the hotel and drove two miles down the road to Avis. Turned in the car and started walking back with Sawyer in the front pack, Ellyn in the stroller, and Sadie beside me. Oh, and carrying Sawyer's car seat because I couldn't leave that with the boosters at the airport. It was only going to be two miles but a really nice lady in a minivan with a million military bumper stickers and two car seats stopped and begged me to let her take us in so we only walked about half a mile. That was great because it was pretty awkward.

We got back, got checked in, set ourselves up in the family lounge, and waited. Right before roll call about a million people show up to check in their baggage. Ellyn gets too hot, as does Sawyer, and they both start screaming. I'm sure everyone thought I was insane and totally inept. But I stayed calm- don't ask me how- and got Ellyn calmed down at least. Plus, after our trip over I had all of our warm things out and our food and so we weren't nearly as compact as we had been previously and so everyone was offering to help. That was very nice and I decided I was not going to feel stupid. We had traveled so far and our kids had been so good up until that point. Anyway, had some help with luggage getting on the plane, A guy carried Ellyn for me because we went on a C-5 and I couldn't get both kids up the ladder. It ended up being totally hot, which I was grateful for but I had to strip Sawyer-very much your son- down to his onesie before he was finally happy. We got in this morning, a customs official helped me load our two carts, very nice. Jane and I pushed carts, Sadie pushed Ellyn. I got the car and we drove home. Oh, it felt soooooo good. So it went fairly well. Lots of good people, just long and hard and this summer Sawyer will be bigger and more mobile and it is very daunting.

I love you all. Leashy- congratulations!!! Jess, I love the christmas card, so cute. Cortney, I'm so happy for you. I hope it all goes smoothly and stress free.