Day Nineteen
April 19
One completely full day of travel…
We celebrated our last and final breakfast downstairs in the hotel lobby. The guests did not disappoint in quirkiness nor did the overly zealous staff. We would be remiss if we didn’t forever remember the very lovely and animated French man working at the hotel desk.
He begins every sentence in utter shock and disbelief; yet again this morning, he was “shocked” we were leaving him! And could we please hurry back to visit. And then he took an exorbitant amount of money from us for our stay and was still in disbelief as he eagerly waved while the shuttle pulled away.
We looked for him as our plane took off from the runway - just to be sure he wasn’t still eagerly waving from the front door lobby.
If Nice airport remained a mystery - Lisbon, Portugal topped it by far. We arrived by plane, entered the airport by bus, wandered around with hours to spare and no sooner did we sit for just a moment - we were called and rushed to queue up for boarding again.
So very confused, we nibbled on sandwiches and watched people stand in line for a flight not leaving for two hours.
We’ve had some strange experiences with our passports… especially Leah’s. We both have dual citizenship and for this trip we are continually asked how she has permission to live in the States. (While we’re presenting her American passport!) It’s odd and Lisbon made a fuss… so we had more lines and queues and finally joined the back of the pack to board the plane - an hour and a half before departure.
Everyone went through the double doors and we brought up the rear - only to discover everyone who went through those doors remained standing at the base of a stairwell looking mighty confused.
You learn a lot about people and their lives crammed into tiny spaces - no discrimination in class or preference. You hear about accidents, loved ones, irritants… funny stories, sad stories, and hopeful ones as well.
There we stood, a hopeful and confused bunch for an indefinite time (maybe 15 mins?) … wondering if perhaps the world had forgotten about the flight from Lisbon to New York.
‘Round about that time two buses arrived to pick up all passengers first class, economy class, business class in no order whatsoever… just crammed onto two buses.
It seemed we would be seeing more of Portugal than we originally thought! After another strange and confusing fifteen minute bus ride, we began to wonder if we were taking a bus to New York instead of flying.
I’ve flown my whole life all over the world and this was truly a first.
It seemed we were bound for New York on the farthest plane from the terminal…
Each minute that passes on a transatlantic flight feels like the one before. Leah and I had a little chuckle when the black olives served with our meal escaped not once, but twice, eventually rolling and landing to rest under our neighbors’ feet.
It’s time to go home.
While we were flying, our oldest was buying her first house. How is she even old enough to be getting married and buying a house - I don’t know! It feels like yesterday she and I were taking a similar trip to this one across Europe for her last year of high school.
I’m grateful to see her moving forward without needing mom and dad… We’re grateful to see her beginning to thrive independently, even as she moves towards marriage.
Yes, it’s time to go home…
To the people we love. The family we miss, and the community we love and serve.
We are grateful for every experience both the ones we’re aware of - and now (perhaps more importantly), the experiences that are tucked away in our subconscious. Placed there by the grace of God for the future.
We pray we come with rested and refreshed hearts, eager to serve and bless…
We pray we come with more grace for ourselves and others than before we left.
We pray that the changes God has begun in us will continue under His careful and sovereign hand - for His glory.
Thank you for traveling with us. Laughing with us, encouraging us, loving us!
From our hearts to yours…
We are home.