We finally made it! We are back in America!
I found out on Saturday, the 29th of September, that there was going to be a Space A flight to Tampa on that Monday, so I spent the weekend packing and getting the house ready to be vacated. Sunday night I got really sick though, and it hindered the packing that I had left to do. I was a little afraid that I wasn't going to make it to the flight the next morning! But, luckily, I pulled through it and we made it on the flight. For those that have not flown on a military Space A flight, let me just tell you, it's rough. The nice part about it is that it is a free flight, which saved us a lot of money flying overseas. Also, you are with people that are willing to help you (which was great! I needed it!). That's pretty much where the nice part ends. We flew on a KC-135 and it was not really built for passengers. Its large interior is for cargo; boxes of various military supplies. The cloth seats strapped to the side with metal bars running under them are not anything near a commercial airline's seats. During the entire flight, it was either hot, or really cold. The bathroom was so nasty that Myla backed up against its wall crying because she did not want to use it. On top of that I was still queasy from the night before and Myla had diarrhea. And the flight was NINE AND A HALF hours!! I thought we would never ever land! But, on the bright side, I had brought a sleeping bag for us that we laid down on the floor to nap on. The girls had tons of snacks and toys to keep them occupied, and if they cried, no one else could here them because it was so loud already! (They give all the passengers ear protection to wear on the flight.) So that was my Space A experience. I'm glad I have a few months before I have to do it again.
We touched down in beautiful Florida, and I've never been happier to see palm trees.
It has been so nice to be around family like this. Ever since I've been married, I've never lived close to family. Having my parents around to help out with the girls, or even just having adult conversation on a daily basis has really been a blessing. I've been able to hang out with my sister every weekend, and catch up with friends that I haven't seen in a while. Also, a lot of my husbands family is really close now too! His brother, Steve live nearby with his wife, Carrie, and their three boys. I love that all the cute cousins can get together to play! Matt's sister, Shannon, lives close to us too, and I was so glad I made it here in time to go to her Luau Baby Shower. It was really cute and a lot of fun! The girls and I can't wait to finally see "Baby Kalena," as Myla calls her. She should be coming sometime in the next few weeks!
Here are a few pictures from Shannon's Tampa Shower:
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| Myla attempting the Hula hoop challenge! |
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| Myla and Lochlan playing with some water |
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| Cutie! |
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| Gathering candy from the pinata |
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| Cooling down. It was hot! |
Halloween is coming up really soon and we are getting excited for trick or treating! I can't wait to get the girls all dressed up in their beautiful costumes!
