There's No Place Like "Home"

We are home. I feel giddy and like I should click my heels together three times! At least we are back to our Brussels home. It is cozy and enveloping with its familiarity and routine.

Like any good Belgian in August we went on "holiday" the past 2+ weeks to my #1 travel request spot since coming to Europe. A Baltic cruise bookended by weekends in Denmark and Norway! We had a blast in "the country of blonde" and learned more than I thought possible about the world around us.

We took nearly 2000 photos (digital photography is dangerous!) so I have no idea how I will select, edit, and blog about it all. It might take me til next year to get through our adventures, so hold on tight and get ready to e-travel with me to Scandinavia.

I am so grateful that Connor was a trooper through so much travel. Ever since we booked the cruise 9 months ago I have been on eggshells anticipating the trip knowing that 10 days on a boat would be a toddler test. And praying and hoping with all my might that Connor would not get sick. (Being stuck on a ship and ill sounds right up there with one of the worst experiences - and the swine flu and pneumonic plague outbreaks did not help my cruising confidence).
Oh ye of little faith. I should have known better. Connor not only survived by thrived. She had an army of attentive cruise ship staff doting over her every word and move. Everywhere we went I felt like I was traveling with the boat's QUEEN. Thank you Emerald Princess staff for taking such special care of us!

As a preview of blog posts to come we traveled to:
- Denmark (Odense, Aero, Copenhagen, and around)
- Sweden (Stockholm)
- Finland (Helsinki)
- Russia! (St. Petersburg)
- Estonia (Tallinn)
- Poland (Gdansk)
- Norway (Oslo and Bergen thru the fjords)

I am thankful for this opportunity of a lifetime. Not a moment goes by that I don't recognize the blessing and good fortune of our time abroad. Kirk's favorite part of the trip was Russia and mine was Oslo, Norway. We made new friends and saw things that are life changing.

But as silly as it sounds now I am relishing in laundry and grocery shopping. Connor is playing with her long lost toys and dancing to "The Jungle Book" - there really is no place like home.