Experience of a Lifetime...

     Okay here I sit finally two weeks after arriving home from Europe/Africa.  I am confident that almost everyone that reads this is aware that I went to help Jess on him most recent move from Germany to Morocco (about 2300 miles, I think).  He was moving to establish a new home in Rabat, Morocco.  I left the first of June, and for two weeks we traveled together with the destination of Rabat in mind.  What did I expect, you would ask?  I really was not sure, I had never been to Europe and was excited, scared, nervous, ecstatic, petrified, and worried all at once.  I told Jess and mom it was like telling a little girl that she was going to Disneyland when she had never been.  I had no idea what to expect!  I was also going by myself, and leaving my whole life, kids, husband and work behind.
     Leaving was a hard thing, I knew that Thane and the kids would be fine.  I never questioned it, but I felt really selfish in doing so.  This was a trip I did not feel like I deserved, especially when no one else was able  to do it with me.  BUT I was SO excited to see people in my life that I love and respect more than most.  I was excited to get away from my chaos and enjoy Jess and Amber, (and of course Darien and Jax).
    Getting on the plane and leaving Thane behind caused alot of anxiety, but once I was on and the plane, and  was in the air, I was fine.  I made it to Frankfurt through customs by myself, and though this might seem like a small feat to most it, was quite an accomplishment for me!  When I saw Jess outside in the airport baggage claim (after asking a German lady where I should go), I was really proud of myself.  :)  Seeing him again felt as if we were only a few miles away!  Funny how time comes right back!
      Germany is really neat and I wish that I could have spent more time there.   Jesse and Amber's home is in a little village.  The villages are separated by little hills and there are villages about five miles apart each with a small church nestled in the middle.  I loved the rural atmosphere. I got to meet their WONDERFUL neighbors, and see the house that they had lived in for the last three years (it was empty now, they were in temporary housing).  I was ecstatic to see Darien and Jax, and found and immediate attraction to Bella!  Those first days were the hardest without my family, maybe because of Jet lag, and maybe because I have not been away from them for long amounts of time and knew two weeks would be long despite being so excited to be in Eurpoe.
     Germany was my first taste of Europe and boy what a difference!  No Walmart's, Target's, Maverick's!  BUT LOTS of alcohol, smokers, and strong coffee!  Lots of very nice laid back people, lots of very very old things, architecture, and just plain old different type of living.  It took some getting used to but, part of me really liked it.  During my trip I hated that I could not communicate with people like I would have liked to, but found that non verbal communication goes a long way and I felt in Europe that people were much nicer without even talking to them!
   I spent two days in Germany, and we were off.  I was able to see one German castle, and really hurt my knee while "running around it quick".  I immediately became worried that this injury had ruined my trip.  We got in the car and off we were!  The first day we drove into France, and our road trip began.  I immediately had to switch from a mom of teenagers, to an aunt of toddlers!  I have forgotten about fruit snacks and juice boxes, matchbox cars, and Chunnington Videos.   BUT quickly fell in love with two little boys who I barely knew! We laughed, cried, slept and screamed at each other in the cars over ten days!  There were more memories made in that car than there ever was in Europe!