Home Sweet Home

Dear Family –
I cannot let this computer snag me this morning. I’m home and have some serious things that need attending to – not the least of which is seeing my little Lybbert family. I wanted to stop last night, but I don’t know when I’ve been more exhausted than I was as we drove past the exit to their home.

Cymony and I set alarms (notice the plural) so I wouldn’t sleep through the time to get up and get ready to leave. I had her little travel clock plus I decided to set the alarm on my wrist heart monitor just for safe keeping. Rather than change the time on my watch, I just set it for six hours, which was 9:15 p.m. That should have worked just fine. However, I didn’t factor in my sleepy head factor. I woke up for my 1:30 pit stop and took a look at the watch. It said 5:30 and I jumped out of bed, grabbed my stuff and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower, makeup and getting dressed. I was thrilled my hair didn’t need scrunching or anything. I finished in record time and headed to the bedroom to have prayer and close my suitcase. I knelt down and took a quick glance at the clock on the floor. It said 2:00 a.m. What!!! You have got to be kidding. I had looked at the wrong time device. Needless to say, I went back to sleep. That was a good one on me.
When the alarm did go off, I was ready to go. Tee hee. I was actually glad for the little mistake, because I needed every minute before we walked out the door.
Cymony dropped me off at the train station. We had no hiccups on the way. Mikah woke up just as we were leaving and I got one last hug before I had to leave this precious little girl. I know she knows how to web cam, so my relationship with her will be on the computer now. It’s amazing to see how she grew up in the two weeks I was there. Baby brothers will do that to their older siblings.
When I walked in the train station I asked the lady at the desk where I get a ticket for the airport. She very German-like pointed to the Kiosk. What?!!! Clyde said I would be talking to a ticket agent. I went to the Kiosk and said a silent prayer for angels. One quickly appeared and helped me through the process only to find out I was on a Kiosk that did NOT take plastic. I still think it did, but she said not. I saw the slot. Oh well, I went through the process the second time kind of alone, but she reached over and hit buttons for me when I looked confused. What a sweetheart. She said she was fine time wise.
I went to the platform where I waited. Another angel was right there and walked me through my process. She invited me to her private berth. I guess that’s what it’s called. We visited for the 45 minute ride to Mannheim where she walked me through my transfer to the train that would take me to the airport. I told her I had prayed for angels before leaving and she could feel good about herself this day because she had truly been my angel. We parted friends.

I will never travel again with a huge suitcase. Why I didn't take two the size of carry-on luggage I do not know. It made real work for me, and I had to stand in the hall because there was no way I could get my bag down the aisles without a lot of work. Fortunately, it was a 30-minute ride.
Getting to the airport from the train station was as seamless as Clyde said it would be. I was quite pleased with myself that I didn’t have major anxiety, arrived in plenty of time and even grabbed a bite to eat before heading to my departure gate.
The long of it was this: I was on the go (Utah time) from 9:30 pm Tuesday night until 11:00 p.m. Wednesday night. For me, that is a very long day. I read mostly – the Twilight series. Book #3 isn’t quite as interesting, but I feel it’s laying down characters. I’m enjoying it, but will be glad when it’s finished. Three movies and a ton of TV was in there as well. I discovered that if I watch a 30-minute anything, I could fall asleep by the end of it and doze for 15-30 minutes before discovering I was asleep.
On this trip I finished reading “Younger Next Year” which is a book that embraces much of my thinking, so it was easy reading. I don’t believe in the author’s theories on evolution, but I do believe in the power of positive thinking and exercise. I will order the companion book for the male species that was actually written first, so that Clyde can read it. It’s a must read for baby boomers, who have the potential to live into their eighties and nineties. It is a guide to enjoy it which I intend to embrace as best as my own lifestyle will let me. His philosophies don’t factor in the business of our lives in the gospel.
Clyde looked like manna from heaven as I descended the stairs to baggage claim. Fifteen days traveling is really about five more than I will sign up for again. I get homesick around ten. Had I not been with Cymony and her little family, having grandkids to keep me from really being homesick, it would have not been a pretty sight. Even with the 15 days, as I leaned over Gage’s little bed to kiss him goodbye Tuesday night, the Grandma tears threatened and a lump entered my throat that was serious pain. There really should be a law against this, but I know it’s life and the world we live in. I’m grateful for Danny’s willingness to serve in the military. Folks, this lifestyle is not for just everyone. There is sacrifice.
Well, back to my day. Clyde and I picked up my bag and got a bite to eat at Rio Grande. Mmmm, Mexican food. But it was good. I was so tired, I’m afraid I didn’t eat much. We came home and I pushed through a couple of things on the computer – calling Cymony and letting them know I was home. Then I crashed.
It’s now early morning. I was up at 5:30 and couldn’t see the sense in fighting it any longer. I had a glorious night’s sleep. Home is a wonderful place to be. It looked so good to me when I walked in the door last night. Clyde (with Carli’s help I suspect) kept the house looking like I’d left it for the most part. I still haven’t gone through the mail. I have Primary Leadership Training invitations that must hit the street today. I’d like to attend the temple with the RS at 9:30. And I’d like to go for a quick run – not to mention the phone calls, laundry and unpacking, getting reacquainted with grandchildren and grocery shopping, not mention posting pictures of Gage and Mikah and their family. I’ll be busy today.