Month 17: Update

USA

I could tell you a really sad story about how our trip to the USA began. It would include a description of a late plane out of Lux, running my pregnant self through the Amsterdam airport, crying pregnant tears in the ladies room when the gate agent made a judgement call and wouldn't let us on the plane (even though the stanchions hadn't even been closed yet), being rerouted through Canada thereby adding an extra 7 hours to an already long travel day, and then being pulled out of line at customs in Vancouver to be interviewed by a friendly if somewhat confused customs agent who had no idea why they were concerned about our luggage. But I won't. Because nobody likes a whiner. :)

Instead, I'm going to tell you how great it was to spend time in the USA. We saw a lot of friends and family, many of whom had to scramble their schedules to accommodate our craziness. So, so, so appreciated.

Thank you, Bryant and Kelly for letting us invade (...again)! And thank you, Allison, for driving all the way up from Portland to hang out!

Seattle Highlights: Hanging out with the Casteels and their cute kids; a visit from BD (college roommates for the win!); TACO BELL (pregnancy craving); Touch a Truck for Benjamin; backyard BBQ! We love our Pacific Northwest peeps!

Thank you, Meg and Kenny (and Kenny's mom), for letting me crash at your place last second.

Thank you, Mary, for ditching your dog's obedience class so we could hang out!

Salt Lake City Highlights: Hanging out with Meg, Kenny, and their kiddos; Catching up with Durd; Brunch, shopping, and getting the update with Ms. Mary Chai!

Thank you, Megan, for braving the solo (with kids) drive to Idaho so we could hang out during the week. Thank you, Angela, for taking a morning out of your insanely busy summer schedule to come meet us in town! Thank you, Mom & Dad, for hosting!

Idaho Highlights: Hanging out with my Mom and Dad; Going to dinner with some of my fabulous extended family; a super awesome breakfast with Angela and Megan (friends from way, way back show up wearing the same shirt!); archery with Dad and Meg (Megan would destroy me in the Hunger Games); shopping for maternity clothes with Mom (and having to wear the fake belly pillow); Bonus hiking trip with the Parentals and Durd in Grand Teton National Park.

Bonus Hiking Day Highlights: Awesome weather; Check out the bear claw marks on the tree pictured above; lunch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

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VIENNA, AUSTRIA:

Until we went to Vienna, I would never have paired the words "Wiener" and "fancy." Vienna was imperial, maybe the most imperial city we've been in except perhaps Rome. We were in town for days before Russ finally explained that "Wiener" means "Viennese"... clearing up why it was written everywhere (you've heard of Wienerschnitzel, perhaps? Not what you think). So the Hapsburgs were imperialist, fancy, wiener people who really knew how to go to town on the architecture end of things. I was very impressed.

Photographic Evidence:

Museums, City Hall, and the Parliament Building

Saint Stephen's Cathedral

Schonbrunn Palace

Vienna Opera House

I mean, you can't really argue with a city that hangs donuts from the chandeliers....

BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA:

We took the bus from Vienna to Bratislava for the day--about 40 miles and three socio-economic levels away. It was 10,000 degrees out, and I was dying. Russ, who has been unflaggingly patient during this pregnancy, took me into a grocery store (twice) so I could spend five minutes just standing in the cold section. Turns out, our timing for reaching downtown was pretty perfect, because we arrived only shortly before a large-scale reenactment began, celebrating the 275th anniversary of Empress Maria Theresa's coronation. There were horses, flags, costumes (which I was really grateful to NOT be wearing--furry hats and long dresses in 95 degree heat? No, thank you!), and we watched the "Queen" herself enter the church in the old square to receive her crown. I love European celebrations.