I’m writing this on my flight back to the states.  I land in a few hours (okay I’ll be landed by the time this posts) to play on my country’s soil until I don’t know when, and then I’m off again to begin another new life in a country that borders my Mom’s birthplace, and also a good chunk of my childhood.

I wish I had tons of pics to post from my family’s visit to Germany and Amsterdam.  My Nikon is at Michelle’s in Virginia and my Sony quit on me (that bitch is tired of wowing us with what she sees).  As always it was a great time.  OMG it felt so good to laugh with my children (sadly minus Aaron, but time with him is right around the corner!) and to watch them dance with my cousins, with each other, with Joe and Me, and in the case of one dance, my mother.  We laughed, we drank, we ate, we walked the soles off of our feet.

And, we ticked each other off.  It’s family: eventually misunderstanding and tension will join too.  One person wants to do this, another that, and somehow during the debate old wounds resurface and boom there’s that stress only your blood can brew, but oh how I miss that too.  Just wait until you find yourself lugging bulky suitcases in a packed train with reserved seats (when you went the open seat route), forcing everyone to accidentally maim a few locals while attempting to throw bags overhead, misjudging our strength.  Even better get on a Tokyo-style packed metro during rush hour with said luggage only to realise we didn’t need to get on THAT train.  It’s all good:  Joe dislodged the stroller from his ass, Kyle got that weird man’s knee out of his thigh, Kaylene’s and my colouring returned after gripping the pole too tightly, and Kelly survived by staring at the wall in front of him secretly questioning his sanity for coming.  We got to laugh about it later over an amazing dinner, so love and our sense of humour still conquers all.

In Amsterdam we did non-family things like tour the Heinekin brewery, the adult museum (lol the kids took some great pics, but I’ll keep those for the family album), the red light district and a wine and beer canal cruise —- God Bless us and our unsavoury ways!   We also took in the beauty of the place strolling through alleyways, canal walkways, and parks.  Joe and I kept pinching ourselves because we’ll be living just a few hours away.  Sadly, during this trip we did not get to visit the museums or rent bicycles (rain and bad timing messed us up this time, but oh you crazy bikers out there, watch out.  We’re going to eventually join the mayhem).

Kaylene and Kelly left two days before us to visit Copenhagen, so Kyle, Joe and I sampled local goodies, went to the zoo and parted ways with me spending a night in Iceland (where I got to see sunlight at midnight) and them heading to Chicago.  I’ll spend two days in Virginia to whoop it up with friends and get my stuff clogging up Michelle’s guest room, and then finally Friday night I will be home with my man and my dog in Phoenix.  HumdAllah, Wunderbra and Schmetterling!  (lol our family cheer).  Let’s add a Cheers and Prost to that chant as well!

The only real turbulence is I’m still in limbo with my End of Service bonus from my former employer and my travel orders and firm offer from my new employer.  Social media is a wonderful tool for helping to gather information, but it’s also a curse when it feels like everyone around you is getting their stuff before you.   Hopefully, by the time I land both my money and my travel orders will be waiting for me.   If you’re reading this blog trying to learn more about teaching/living in the UAE I promise I’ll post a what I miss and what I don’t entry sometime soon (which might be a month or two away in the making).  First I must get my back in the USA legs working and more family/Badger time (that poor dog has no idea how much we’re gonna shake up his routine with the Belgium move).

The fam!  Pic taken from my cousin Michelle, the beautiful bride.  Gotta love my gene pool!