Done, Done, Done

Chicago-done. Kansas-done. Maryland, Virginia-done.  Dallas-done.

Joel, Robert, and Sallie at the aquarium in Chicago.

Abby and Bella let us stay in their home for the last two weeks of our visit..OH. and Darren and Pat did, too.

It is getting harder and harder to fit the whole Kansas Clan into one picture. We were only missing two of the gang.Matt and Laurie.

Sallie and Lolo had a whole week together. That was fun!

Grandma, Josh and Ryan catching up in Kansas. 

In my previous post I mentioned about all the Hellos  we were looking forward to.  They were wonderful. In Chicago we got to say hello to Gary, Candice and Joel..and to American soil. After two years the anticipation was fun as we waited for the wheels to touch down. Although the time was short there, we had a ball. All of us fell in love with Chicago and want to go back!!
In Dallas, my good friends, Marganne and Pat took me directly to a ranch for two days. Our hellos were filled with laughter, tears, stories and lots of hugs. I think we will make this a habit if we can. There is a lot of life to catch up on, even with skype, email, facebook and everything else. :)  And on my return to Dallas there were great hellos after great hellos.  It is fun returning to the place we lived for 20 plus years, people who know us and  knew us when.....
And then our trip to Kansas. Our nieces and nephews, all growing up or grown up, even. Brothers, sisters, FAMILY. What a blessing.  Ryan wrote a poem on facebook about Stafford. I think my kids appreciate roots more than before. As a kid I never had them so I love going to Kansas and just being there. My kids are learning about that. Mom Hildebrand looked great and as usual opened her doors wide and let us pour out all over the house.  We love our family!!
Several friends flew in from other places to see us. My friend, Anita, came in from Missouri, and the Hones all came in from Phoenix. I've known Anita since I was 15.  She has some stories to tell on me, but she behaved herself. :) Laurel Hone is one of Sallie's oldest and dearest friends. So it was great for the girls to be together. Robert enjoyed his buddies as well, and all his favorite foods.
In Maryland we reunited with some of our oldest friends. Greg was Mike's roommate when he worked at OU. He and Mary Kaye got married two weeks before us and we have been friends forever! In Virginia we attended a wedding of the daughter of our dear friends from Abu Dhabi, and then also had lunch with the Pritz's who lived in AD for two years and are so much fun! It was a summer of wonderful celebrations and reunions.
Driving the roads from here to there and back again, I found myself smiling at all the memories. Stores, restaurants, even intersections sometimes would jog a memory to the front. Old friends who were amazed at the kids and the changes.  Ryan, unfolding himself from a chair, to hug our old neighbors, Sallie and Robert answering questions about life in Abu Dhabi,  worshiping at our old church and remembering  many wonderful times but then recognizing that our church home now is halfway across the world: all of these things were part of a summer we won't forget.

Now we are back in Abu Dhabi. School started for Robert. Ramadan is nearly done...one more week. And life is moving on. It's good to be home. And it was good to be home in Texas, too.