Safely HOME

Abbi and I braved 3 airports yesterday and made our trek back HOME! We first checked our bags in Columbus and waited in a very short line for security. I left my cell phone in my pocket (oops) and then Abbi's backpack was reason enough for them to call their higher up security guy to check it. I had gone through her bag and my purse and removed everything not allowed and put them in our suitcase or in the little bag you can put stuff in. Well, turns out that Abbi's light blinking toothbrush and her TOOTHPASTE set off an alarm. I had no idea she had put it in there after I had already prepped her backpack. The man was very kind and not mean in any way and he moved us along real fast with a smile. WHEW, some of them can be so mean and make you feel so stupid.

We then went and grabbed a bite to eat, bought her sister a gift (webkin) and headed to our gate to wait for our first plane of the day. Uneventful, and we picked a seat right behind the wing and I was really happy with how comfortable it was! It was not a full flight so we had room to move and breathe. Abbi loved the flight and stayed awake! It took about an hour to get to Chicago and that was uneventful. We landed there and I thought WOW, huge airport, how will I find our next gate? I couldn't even find the monitors with the flight info on them. We wandered a little and lo and behold found our gate BEFORE finding a monitor. Again, we lucked out that it was quite close. We then tried out the people movers and Abbi LOVED those! We shared a piece of pizza then went back to wait for the next flight to Nashville. The plane was about 15 minutes late arriving, so we left about 25 minutes late. We again sat behind the wing, it was a little fuller, but we still had 3 seats just to the two of us, so her doll Julie had a place to sit too. It was very overcast in Chicago, but no rain or snow. We did manage to see Lake Michigan and downtown Chicago while taking off, but not clear at all. It was a little bumpy going up through all the heavy clouds, but once on top Abbi loved looking at the puffy sea of clouds and was in awe that we were 33,000 feet above ground. I wish we could have seen the ground but nope, not on that trip. We landed in Nashville a little late and I called Dave to let him know we arrived. He was at the mall with Libbi (unfair lol). Abbi and I walked I think the entire length of the airport to get to baggage claim and were happy to find all three of our bags and then went outside to wait for Dave to pick us up. It was so nice to see both of them! We loaded the car out and went in search of some quick food for all of us before we headed on the three hour drive home. I was dreading it....I mean I haven't been home in 2 weeks and I knew I would have tons of things to do, unpack, etc. So, I found a way to make the time pass fast. I played the ONE game my Blackberry phone has for the entire trip back. It helped make it seem like only a few minutes! I think we got home around 9 pm. I then began the daunting task of unpacking. The girls were playing and happy to be together after a week apart. We let them stay up a bit. They went to bed and I finished unpacking and doing some other things around 11 pm, then I went and took a nice HOT bath in my tub. Oh how I had missed my huge jacuzzi tub and the water here. It was such hard water in Cincinnati and Columbus. My poor skin and hair. I think I got in bed at midnight and fell immediately asleep lol. I slept and slept until 10 this morning, when Dave woke me up. Do you think I was tired?? It was heaven to be back in my own bed.

We then got up and started getting everyone ready for Blake's baptism today. Dave is the Godfather. It was just a few of us at the baptism and it really was beautiful. Baby Blake just smiled and laughed the entire time, it was adorable! Afterwards we went back to Kevin and Jen's house and ate and sat around. It was nice! At 6 pm I told Dave we just had to come home because we had lots to do with all of us going back to work and school tomorrow. We somehow managed to get through all that routine and the girls were in bed at normal time and I have had a nice chance to just sit and relax here on the couch with Dave. I will soon go grab me a bubble bath. It is 30 degrees cooler today and I want to soak and warm up some!

Dad called today and he is doing real well still! He spent his first full day back at the rehab place since both me and my brother had returned home. He said he ate all the meals there and continued to feel great! I know it is tough for him to be there, he is one of just a few patients that can even speak, so the nurses love being around him which helps him. He is going to work hard at physical therapy this week to continue gaining strength. His release date should still be Jan 10, and he has asked my sister to go and spend a week there to help him transition back home. I told Dad I was going to call him every day this week just to check on him and keep him from getting too bored.

I expect about a week of transition for our family here to return to normal. The girls are not used to being together, nor are Dave and I. We have to take down all the Christmas decorations and then get back into our normal weekday routines. I am NOT ready to go back to work just yet. I will have to take one day off this month to get in several doctor's appointments....Abbi needs to see her ENT about scheduling the surgery to get her tubes out, both girls need to go to the Dentist after I had to cancel their appointment while we were in Ohio, and I need to get back in to have my elbow checked out again. It is giving me trouble again. I vacuumed my Dad's house and his vacuum is not like mine and self propelled so I had to push and I was not even thinking at the time that I should not be doing that. It has been very achy and sore for a few days now. I sure hope I did not further damage it and I cringe at the thought of another cortisone shot or more physical therapy.

Well, that bath calls and I need to get my work briefcase ready for tomorrow.