So we got it together, got ourselves together and met Renee in the hall and went down to the MDR to meet the rest of the family for breakfast. We were hoping to sit in Kicki's section, but that didn't happen :( But we did have a very nice breakfast with great friends and good conversation. We will ALWAYS eat breakfast in the MDR on the last day now. This is the first time we have, and it was so relaxing and not stressful. Especially since I have to talk to people without the benefit of caffeine. It's just better that way lol.
After breakfast we went back to the cabin to grab our stuff and go out on the balcony one last time.
Until next year
So we cleaned out the safe and grabbed our bags and off to the Palladium Theater to wait for our disembarkation number to be called. We arrived at the theater and realized how crowded it was and not really anywhere to sit comfortably, so we walked back out to the Centrum area. Doug sat there with our bags while I went back to the theater to wait to be called. We weren't sure if you'd be able to hear the numbers being called in the Centrum area (you can and we'll wait there from now on). I visited with Renee and family while waiting. One last hug to everybody when they called my number, and off I went to meet Doug.
Disembarkation was as easy as embarkation. We grabbed our stuff, rode the elevator to Deck 1, and waited in line for customs. We saw several crew members that we knew and talked with them while we waited. Then through customs and off to find our luggage, which we did. Flag down a luggage guy and off to the car. They push your luggage to the car in the parking lot! I love that!
So once to the car we found our front tire is quite low. The dashboard told me 15 lbs. of pressure lol. So we asked if they had air at the port; no. So we got directions to the closest gas station so we could get air. So we tipped the guy. Doug loaded our luggage into the car, which is like a puzzle that has to go together just so, and we were off to the gas station.
Oh, I have to say, the weather was so nice. Cloudy, but warm. It was 60! It's the nicest return day we've ever had, and we usually return before Thanksgiving!
So we got air and then hit the road. We did stop at Cracker Barrel for lunch on the way home, and a few other stops along the way, and made it home about 4. Now that we were no longer on the ship, I was anxious to see my people, and the dog! We were hoping all of the kids could be there together sometime tonight.
Jordan was there when we got home since it was his day off (and he had the house looking amazing! Thanks Jordan). Isaac and Maranda stopped on their way to church, so 3/4 of them were there. But Allen was working in Harrisburg this week and wasn't home. Ack, I was going to have to keep this secret! Until Sunday we thought. But Allen came home early, and all the kids came over on Saturday for pizza. And we were able to give them their t-shirts with the reservations rolled up. It was SO fun to watch their faces! And now we're waiting to see if they can all get the vacation time. If not, we'll push it forward until spring. But we are really hoping they can make it work.
Anyway, the boys helped Doug unload the luggage and drag it upstairs. Isaac and Maranda left for church. Doug ordered Sunrise and Jordan stayed to have pizza with us before heading home. And we watched Amazing Race for a while.
It was good to be home! I slept great that night because it's always great to be back in your own bed! It was only Wednesday, and neither of us had to go back to work until Monday evening. Which was a good thing. I had oodles of laundry. And it's 2 weeks until Christmas! With work training and wedding planning and subbing and Thanksgiving, I hadn't done anything for Christmas other than decorate the tree, which I am SUPER glad we did. So we planned to stock the kitchen, do some Christmas shopping, and laundry, and enjoy the next 4 days together before going back to the craziness that is our life. And we had some awesome family time that weekend with the kids on Saturday and my big Broadway/Tomerlin family Christmas celebration on Sunday.
It really is good to be home.
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