Home at last!!

After months of planning we finally arrived in Tasmania on Monday, Nov 30. We started our journey on Friday, Nov 27 at about 4:30pm and drove 2.5 hours from our home in Evans, Georgia to the airport in Atlanta. 20 minutes from our home, Owen asked for "Stuffy" his toy elephant and his dummy (pacifier). We couldn't find either - oh no!! So we turned around and went back home only to discover that Stuffy had been with us all along under all our suitcases! Anyway, by 5:20pm, we were leaving home for the second time. Thankfully we had allowed plenty of time and were still able to park the car and get through the airport without racing. Altanta is one of the busiest airports in the world. Just to get to our plane, we had to ride a bus ride from our car to the departure terminal and then a train ride to get to our gate!

Our flight arrived in LA at about midnight (or 3am body time for us). We found our hotel and squeezed everyone into one room. Thankfully everyone slept well and slept in late. We were the last ones for breakfast the next morning at 10am. It was a beautiful sunny day in LA and so we went for a walk and found a playground for the kids.

At 8pm we headed back to the airport again. The kids and I to catch our 11pm flight to Melbourne and Chris to catch his 11:55pm flight back to Atlanta. Chris had to say goodbye to us at security and then a very helpful Qantas employee helped the kids and I to our gate (I LOVE Qantas!). Just before we were to board the plane Ella and Owen fell asleep and so I ended up carrying them onto the plane asleep. My kids are AWESOME travellers! Ella and Owen stayed asleep for a good 6-8 hours each. Sam quickly followed once we were on the plane. There was a crib for Elliott to sleep in too. While they were sleeping I managed to watch a couple of movies and rest up a bit myself. I was ready for major melt downs, but we didn't have any. Even the passengers around me commented on how good they were. I think they were probably releived too!! One mother with four kids - I'm sure they were expecting a bad trip too when they saw who they were sitting near!

The highlight of the flight was going to check on Sam and Owen who had gone to the toilet together. When I got down to the toilets, Owen had taken off his diaper and jeans and was just about to go running down the aisle butt naked!!

We arrived in Melbourne at 9:40am on Monday, Nov 30. Owen was asleep again and so I had to carry him and Elliott off the plane. It was so good to get off that plane! A customs officer helped me collect our bags ans strollers and just as we walked out, my sister Tammy walked up and found us. It was so good to see her!! We had a 5 hour wait in Melbourne and then a 1 hour drive back to my parents.(see Tammy and Simone's blogs). On the drive back to my parents all of the kids fell asleep and slept until the next morning! What a great start!

One of the things I love about coming home is driving up over the Don hill and seeing the ocean before me and then looking back at Mt. Roland behind me. That's when I know I'm home! I love the smell, the gum trees, the air, the beautiful scenery. I know I'm biased, but Tasmania is really one of the most beautiful places on earth!