Monday, June 25, 2012

Our MAY trip to MO and MN

As usual, I am VERY behind in blogging...feeling like not doing it anymore, but I don't want to give it up for good.  I also don't like when I get so far behind that I feel like I'll never catch up...that's how I feel right now too.  Even though I have all of these feelings, I will press on!  So I hope someone's out there reading my blog and making it worth it. 

Over two months ago now we flew back to the US from Stuttgart.  The flight from Stuttgart to Atlanta was uneventful, thankfully.  And from Atlanta to Springfield, the same.  We had a good time in Springfield.  Time went too quickly as always.  We were so thankful everything worked out for our visit.  God definitely helped put everything together.  We were able to buy the house Betty was living in so she didn't have to move since the people she was renting from were wanting to sell the house.  This was all done in about 45 days, thanks to a great friend in MO who is now a realtor (Michael Cataldo is a great realtor in case you need one!)  We also got to enjoy being there to support my sister-in-law at her college graduation, from CBC.  Congrats!  Of course there were late night chats, enjoying time with our niece and nephews and our boys loved being with there grandma Betty and cousins and aunt and uncle.  We got to enjoy some shopping time at Walmart (which we miss a ton when we are gone!)  I got to see my best friend, Carla and her little girl and enjoy so many missed restaurants!  It's always nice to spend time with family and not have to do it with a phone or computer involved.

After spending a week in MO we flew to Minneapolis.  Once again we had great flights and no problems.  After being there the first night, Tom and I got away for a special night away...just the two of us.  We got some great deals using our airline miles (for our restaurant and hotel).  This was the first night we had spent alone (with no kids and no hospital stay involved) since Gregory was born (so about 5 years).  We were very thankful to Bryan and Raquel for watching our boys...they got a little reminder of how much attention Joshua needs (see my sister's blog to hear about this).  So sorry Bryan!  And then the day after my parents arrived.  Our nephews and Gregory got to spend so much time in grandma and grandpa's new (to them) motorhome and loved hanging out with them too.  We got to see where my sister volunteers (at the MN Science Museum) and see where Dr. Bryan hangs out and "practices medicine" :-)  We got to spend time with my younger brother and his family as well...watching Kirk play some softball, eating and hanging out at the Mall of America and riding rides.  Thanks guys for the fun times.

When all the fun in the USA was done we got back on the planes and made it back to Stuttgart with no problems...only minor flare-ups with Joshua on the 9 + hrs flight.  It was a good time, but jet-lag, really IS ROUGH!  Yuk!     

As always there are lots of new pics at our shutterfly page...  http://tomandroxannecook.shutterfly.com/