Back in Valencia!

After about three days of travel, we are back in Spain!  We drove to Chicago on Thursday afternoon.  It was a lovely calm drive. Joel finally got Steak and Shake and the kids LOVED the milkshakes. We slept well (and til 9:30).  We made the decision to do late check out and have Joel drop off the rental car before heading to the airport.  It was so much easier to unload our 9 suitcases, 3 car seats, a stroller and all the carryons at the hotel.  Then we just took the shuttle to the airport.  It was probably the easiest trip to the airport!

But then we got the wrath of TSA.  Not really.  Joel just got flagged because our tickets where bought the day before.  The TSA agents were great.  And they couldn't believe we got flagged.  They had to go thru all our stuff and all our electronics.  Plus we got the pat down.  It wasn't bad at all just time consuming.  It was super cute when it was Milly's turn for a pat down.  She walked up and stood with her arms out.  I wish I had my camera, it was too cute!  My kids did great and got lots of compliments.  I was surprised by the number of grumpy people going thru.  One lady was flat out rude refusing to go thru the big scanner.  I thought it was quite unnecessary.  Maybe Americans need to see security in the Middle East during tourist season.  But I rather go thru all of that than be blown up or flown into a building.  Until these crazy people are gone, this is going to be life.

After we got organized, we headed off to enjoy the Swiss Air lounge.  yeah... more rude people.  Sigh.  You see a family of six and you are sitting at a table for 6 alone, why don't you go sit at one of the other tables of 6 with only one person at it.  But the nice people at the desk told us we could us SAS lounge and it was right next to our gate.  So we walked down and it was EMPTY!  They gave us the back room and the kids the TV remote.  It was great!  We didn't bother anyone and it stayed mostly empty until we left for our flight.

The Swiss Air flight was lovely.  Our flight attendant spoiled the kids.  She was really sweet.  Milly passed out before we even took off!  Long day for her.  We made a mad dash for our connecting flight at Zurich.  Made it before they started boarding Economy.  It was on old crappy plane.  Really both planes were kind of crappy. But the service really made up for it.  Our flight from Zurich to Valencia, the Captain came out and spoke over the intercom.  He was definitely military at some point.  He was HUGE and kind of scary.  But he was a big softy with Milly.

After waiting forever to get to the rental car place, we finally make it home.  And we can't open the gate!  Joel jumped the fence and finally after FOREVER, he finally manually opened the gate.  It was so great to be home.  We were going to make a quick run to McD's for dinner but Milly completely melted down when I said she had to take off her princess dress and heals.  yeah, it was AWESOME!  So Joel took the other kids and brought dinner home.  By the time he got back, Milly was on the verge of passing out.  I was trying to convince her to come to the dinner table, while getting the other kids their food.  When I walked back in Milly had falling asleep sitting up.  She went straight to bed.

The rest of us followed not too long after.  When I woke up the next morning and looked at the clock it was 11:45am.  WHAT?  We have never ALL slept that long.  OK Joel did his usually 3am freak out but managed to fall back asleep on the couch.  We had lots to do that day too.

Poor Milly kept falling asleep.  I put her on my bed so I could get ready, she passed out.  Put her in the car, passed out before we left the neighborhood.  But we got the dogs, ran back to the airport and went grocery shopping.  I can tell you this week is hard on all of us!

Now to finishing unpacking and get this house decorated for Christmas!  My mother in law arrives tomorrow!

Going Home

It's funny when your definition of HOME changes.  For me it was always Louisville.  The town I did most of my growing up in and the place my parents still call home.  I still have most of my family there and many of my friends.  So I truly thought it would always be home.

When we moved to Istanbul, it took quite a while to stop saying when we go home.  Meaning the United States.  We really don't have a home in the States anymore.  We left behind Liberty and when (and if) we return to the States, it will be back to Detroit.  So we are kind of in limbo with that home thing.  Joel and I did become official residents of Kentucky last month.  We both have drivers license and I even registered to vote.  And voted!

But even though we were "home", it isn't home anymore.  Home is now where my family is.  My husband, four kiddos, two dogs and two turtles.  Along with all our crap. LOL.  We may have only been in that house a month, but boy does it feel like home.

This Friday we are finally going HOME!  I'm so excited.  Of course sad to leave my family behind.  And I had a great time with my friends that I managed to see.   It's hard when you are juggling life and kids.  Doesn't help with the holidays.  I missed a few friends I really wanted to see, but what can you do.

And the best part... my kids are going BACK TO SCHOOL!  And my mother in law is arriving.  But I will be blaring Christmas music and getting everything ready.  I wish we were celebrating as a big family like last year but the joys of expat life.  I just got to spend two months with my parents and brother.  But lesson learned..... you can really never go home.