Small Family, Big Adventures: the real side of a trip to the US

We look forward to our home leave trip every year…from the day we get back to the day we leave…we are thinking about what we will do and who we will see. This year was no different. We only go 1x per year..and this is partially why. The flight…the packing…oh gosh..I find the flight so stressful. It's not because anything goes wrong, but the anticipation of it all. And lets face it…8 hours to NY..then 4 to Houston…add in a layover..or in our case as our flight to NY was 3 hours delayed..so we missed the original connecting..rebooked a tight connection where we had to run from one plane to another…it gets overwhelming. The girls are great on a flight. They watch the TV's non stop. Once we landed in Houston..arriving slightly late..one of the bags didn't make it…so we had to wait until the next flight arrived from NY as it had our bag. So this meant we didn't get to meet our friends waiting for us at Los Ranchitos. So off to the hotel to get some sleep..as it was 11pm Houston time, but 6am Belgium time.

So..then we get to wake up and have breakfast with our friends…YAY! Then a day of shopping (American girl store to start our shopping excursion)..meeting up with more friends…getting dinner with even more friends…then the jet lag sets in as 9pm approaches and my girls are laying on the seat of the booth begging to go to the hotel to get some sleep…even forgoing a much anticipated and begged for plan of a sleepover. That's when you know they are REALLY tired.
So the next morning is business time…dentist appointments. It is just easier to go to the dentist while in the US because of our insurance. We don't' have any in Belgium…so everything requires paperwork to turn in and mail to the US…only to have them mail you a check months later…and what good is a check in Belgium??

Then there is the drive to Nana and Grandpa's for our dose of family time. My girls are so lucky to have 2 sets of loving/doting/spoiling grandparents!! Our time at the Myers is great!! Grandpa gives 100% of his time to the girls. And even when he tries to sneak away to get something done..he is quickly interrupted by "what are you doing Grandpa"…usually Amelia following him around like a puppy. Meanwhile Nana is in the house making some yummy food…offering brownies, cookies, cake to the girls…and Brad and I too of course. Then there is some shopping and relaxing. I particularly love it there because I can sneak away to the hammock swing and enjoy a coffee ..or other beverage… in peace while staring out into the countryside! But the end of the visit was bitter sweet…saying goodbye for a whole year…and anticipating the next visit to Grandma and Papa's house where you are sure to find lots of kids and chaos. This goodbye for now is very hard on all of us…tears are shed on the first half of the drive to Louisiana.
And the next phase of the trip is to see the Louisiana family. There is something about hanging out with your cousins. I have many favorable childhood memories of this time. We spent a lot of time with my cousins…good times! So I do miss that for my kids. They are really close to their cousins..especially the girls..Maddy and Lissie. The moment we arrived we went to pick up cousins and piled them in our rented minivan…including the dog Molly. You can just see the love and chaos from the first seconds of the gathering. My girls LOVE every minute. During the evening..the other cousins joined in the chaos and from that moment until we leave Louisiana…I hardly see my girls. They are off playing/doing something with the kiddos all day/night…(well, I do ring them in to get some sleep eventually). Papa takes the kids to see his cows in the pasture…the girls feel the need to name each cow. Bella loved when Grandma took her with her to the beauty shop and then to work at her store with her. She stayed all day with Grandma at her shop. Meanwhile at home Amelia did not leave the couch and watched movies on the iPad while eating 5 doughnuts all day…all while I raked leaves to help my dad get ready for the Good Friday crawfish boil…the REAL reason we plan our trip during Easter break.
But after the sleepover with cousins, the many shopping trips with my sister, the nights my 2 sisters and I stayed up looking at old pictures laughing until we cried, the countless cajun meals we enjoyed, the quick visit with old friends…it comes to a close where we have to once again say goodbye for now..and "until next year'…and it gets really hard…everyone cries..you have to once again convince your kids that living abroad is a great experience and the right thing for our family. There is a long drive to Houston.. a drive where I sit and reflect on if I am doing the right thing..keeping our kids away from family…missing my sisters…and grandparents ....especially grandparents who are aging (but still relatively healthy). There are more tears...The what-if's…what if this is the last time I see my parents alive or in a healthy state …( i know this sounds crazy..but lets face it..they are not spring chickens anymore)..what if something happens to us?…my mind is racing on this drive.
Luckily we had planned to stay with our good friends the Hydens for our last night in Houston. It was great as we just sat in her backyard while the kids played..just like old times. To cap off our trip, we had dinner at one of our favorite tex mex restaurants where the kids absolutely adore "Pepe"..the man who sings and does karaoke in the restaurant. But then it's a short rest…until the next morning…Easter morning where we are rushing to get back to the airport to return to our life abroad. Tears to the airport…long flight home…then a week of jet lag. So the countdown to the next home leave begins.