After six nose swabs each, ten plane rides, three states, more than 2,000 driven miles, ten different beds, and more than two feet of falling snow over five weeks, we have returned from an incredible holiday trip. Late fall of last year we began to devise a plan of returning to the states to spend the holidays with John’s father, Jack. As December approached, the plan materialized. The goal of spending the holidays with Jack was fixed as soon as we bought tickets, however the the manner in which we were to spend our time together was incredibly unspecified. The whole trip around the world, literally as we flew east from Asia to the States then east again to return, was marked by tentative plans, adventure around each corner, and unexpectedly seeing all of both our families!
Traveling internationally during this pandemic has numerous strings attached. Only after negative tests and arrived flights to the States were we ready to plan the next step. There had been talk among John’s siblings of spending time together in Hawaii. As others solidified their plans to travel to Hawaii, we didn’t purchase tickets until the day before when we had negative COVID tests in hand, which were are second rounds of nose tickles.
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Our kids were blessed to have multiple days together with cousins. |
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| Grampy’s holiday wish of having all his grandchildren together was fulfilled! |
After Hawaii, we spent The Holiday with my brother, sister-in-law, and their son whom we had not yet met. My brother, a reservist, has been on active duty since October, meaning he is not able to travel far from their Salt Lake City home. Quite unexpectedly, he was granted extra leave enabling them to travel to Walla Walla for the weekend, where my parents also joined us to celebrate.
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| Aunt Nikki and Grampy B |
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| Celebrating with the newest cousin, Carter. |
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| Uncle Ryan Time |
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| Grammie and Papa J |
We spent the subsequent week driving across Washington state visiting places John’s parents had lived together over the course of their lives (see melindamaebrennan.blogspot.com). During this road trip the Northwest experienced some of the coldest temperatures and largest snow falls for the year; some places even set new records. Though we spent many hours in the car, the kids thoroughly enjoyed the snow, and we learned a lot about Jack and Melinda’s early years.
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| Melinda's Childhood Home |
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| The summer camp where Jack and Melinda met as children. |
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| Kids thankfull for new books during the many hours in the car. |
Our last few days with John’s dad, we spent together in Walla Walla, enjoying the snow, familiar places, good food, and completing a couple medical appointments.
We had hopes of seeing family, being with Jack during the holidays, and maybe seeing a few places. The trip met these goals and added many unexpected adventures. After surprisingly low temperatures in Aberdeen, Washington, we awoke to no water due to a frozen pump. We saw snow covered sand on a Pacific Ocean beach. We walked away with nothing but a dented fender after doing a 180 on a freeway when another driver forgot to check before changing lanes. We slept on the floor at Grampy Jack’s house after high winds caused a six feet high snow drift which inhibited us from returning to the apartment in which we were staying in. Then, on our return to Asia we missed our first international flight because my, Erin’s, COVID test was lost. Though we had to reschedule our flights, our extra time in Seattle enabled us to visit with friends we had not seen in years.
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| The Pacific Ocean - Stateside |
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| The truck stopped directly between the posts, allowing us to back right out, then turn around, with a State Patroler's help! |
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| John clearing a small remaining drift. |
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| Flexible Children |
We thankfully are now in a hotel in Asia fulfilling the required six day quarantine. After one more COVID test we will return to our home in Barat and hopefully pick up where we left off!
