back. home. canada!

one last look at our place, #1784

We’re back in Canada, and it’s the best. Outside, instead of smog and big-city-buildings, there are trees and snow and birds … and fresh air! And inside, there’s family, space, good food, a dishwasher! and more. Sigh… I love it. I need to list this blog up, so here you go:

1. Jet lag is the worst. Well, okay, it’s not the worst but uugh – is it better or worse with kids? On one hand I think it must be worse, because instead of two adults trying to self-manage adjusting to a new time zone, we’re trying to coordinate the kids and their schedules and getting them to stay awake in the day and sleep (and stay asleep) at night. But on the other hand, maybe it’s better because we’re somewhat forced to make the switch, because we want to get them on the right track asap. But here’s the question: do we join them in sleepy-ville at 7:30 or 8:00? Yes, yes we do. Hendrik has been up mighty early (4:00), and staying up, and Alana has (temporarily I HOPE) reverted to the newborn schedule of up every three hours to eat ah-round the clock… ugh. BUT – here’s the good news – each night of the last four has been better than the night before, so I think we’re getting there….slowly. Whatever way you look at it, kids or no kids, a full on flip-flop of sun and moon will take a few days to get over.

our travelin' man

 2. Business class is THE BEST.  (THE BEST.) And that statement pretty much dominates our trip home – but maybe I should start from the beginning.

We had a fairly leisurely morning and early afternoon on the day of our departure, finishing up packing and eating leftovers and getting ready to quit the Oriental Plaza. We had Alana in disposables and they leaked everywhere (pffffff) so I had to dig out some cloth diapers from the packed bags and cross my fingers that we wouldn’t go through as many sleepers in our 13 hour flight as we did in the eight awake-hours we spent at home before being picked up at 3:00. (We didn’t – zero leaks.) We got to the airport with plenty of time to snack in the Business Class lounge and then got to jump the massive queue at the gate to take our seats up front. And here’s where I get super excited and happy - because we didn’t have to take part in the massive mob-gob line-up at the gate, because we didn’t have to fight for overhead bin space or rub shoulders with smelly neighbors, and fold our big selves into economy class seats. Because we were served freshly squeezed orange juice and had tons of room to spread out, because flights attendants were friendly and smiley and available, and I could go on and on. Hendrik’s first experience of his own seat on an airplane officially can not be topped: he had an appetizer, and dinner on a white “tablecloth”; he slept fully spread out for at least nine hours of the flight, no problem. And Alana was happy too; she slept well and ate well (no tablecloth for you) and neither take-off or landing posed any problems for her little ears. We were equally as excited to be sitting up front, but she just happened to be a little more animated; it would have been weird if I had been as giddy as she was, throwing my arms around and smiling non-stop gooey from ear to ear… no?

On the inside I felt the same way!

Soooo the flight zipped by and we managed to skip the hour-long wait at customs by appealing to a very nice man in the Special Assistance line, and then there were Grandma and Grandpa Brinkman waiting for us in the welcome hall… yay! With our six fully loaded bags, it was a two car pickup kind of deal, and we managed to get it all in and get back here to B-ville and stay awake until mmmm midnight or so before hitting the hay. If only those business class tickets weren’t so expensive, I’d say it was the only way I’d get on an airplane… I LOVE IT!

date night on the plane

PB+J sandwiches before the final leg of our journey

family of four + six bags - we made it!

3. Happy Valentine’s Day! My mom and dad sent us the loveliest book – An Awesome Book of Love, and I love it. An excerpt:
If I were a river and you were the sky
If you were down low and I was up high


Or if I was an apple and you were a sundae
If you were a Wednesday and I was a Monday


If you were spring seasons and I was the fall
We might never have gotten together at all


But we aren't all of those things
You're you and I'm me
And we're as together as together can be

And you know I'm aglow with a smile on my face
When I wonder what magic you'll make of this place
of this town
of this world
You'll transform your surroundings!
That spirit inside you is truly astounding...

And when I'm beside you I'm leaping and bounding
so proud I can hardly contain my heart pounding

I love you I love you! In so many ways
Over thousands of years over billions of days

I love you so much I would scream it from mountains
and dance like a fool in the coldest town fountains

(and the awesomeness goes on and on - I could excerpt the entire book! LOVE!)

And Hendrik made Steve and I Valentine’s Day cards with Grams yesterday – are they not the cutest? I love him! I love our little kiddies… what gems.

Valentine's Day cards for me and Steve... love!

4. Kiddie Updates
So, besides the jet lag, there are a few things. Alana is teething and drooling like nobody’s business, but is still a happy little camper with smiles alight in most of her waking hours. She had her first swim this morning and loved it, and Hendrik had his first skate yesterday (!!) and loved that. He’s in a big boy bed and is less enthused than I thought he would be with playing outside in the snow. Our stuff is everywhere and both Steve and I are feeling a bit paralyzed by the recent trip and all of our stuff (times four) spilling out of suitcases, so the thought of planning and packing for another trip is proving to be a bit difficult… but we’ll get there. We’re still thinking of a sun vacay sometime soon and a trip out to Vancouver, but for right now, we’ll have to wait (and sleep) and see.