Emotionally Wounded

(Author's Note: This entry was written the evening of the 18th. Unfortunately, Andrew and I do not have the Internet, which can making the blogging process a wee bit of a challenge. We are working to rectify this situation!)

Here I sit, in front of the computer… fully intending on writing a blog detailing the adventure of our flight back to Utah. I believe it’s worth sharing and that the interest level would suffice.

However, my eyelids suddenly weigh 25 pounds each and my fingers continue to hit the wrong key. I am past exhaustion. The adrenaline that has propelled me forward reached a screeching halt 2 minutes ago and I don’t think I have it in me to relieve yesterday’s drama.
I will say this. We cried a lot.

Not because our flight was … hang on, I am having a hard time adding the two flight times to give you a combined total. Let’s see, Munich to Atlanta was ten hours… and then two ugly hours on the Atlanta tarmac, followed by an additional 3 hours and twenty excruciating minutes in the air. That is a total of 15.20 minutes sitting on an airplane? Yes, it was rough.

But as I already stated, that’s not why we’ve been crying. We said goodbye to our best friends. I told Andrew that I feel like I am grieving. I am not comparing our feelings to the heart break of losing a loved one, but that’s the word that best describes how I feel. Who knows, maybe I’ll think of a more appropriate word when my brain returns. I think I lost it somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. Perhaps Andrew said it best. As we unpacked this morning at 3:00 am (it felt like noon to us) he said that he feels like he is missing apart of himself.

The entire Auras family drove us to the airport – the entire family. That gesture meant a lot to us. The actual “goodbye” (here come the tears) and driving down Ermlandweg for the last time was really difficult. In fact, it broke my heart. (Eliza and her entourage enter the airport. "Please, Mom! Could you ask the paparazzi to leave me alone?") Forgive me, I should focus on the positive, like the fact that Eliza was a truly amazing child during our travels (here she is enjoying her 10th round of peek a boo with the family sitting behind us!)

...and the fact that we were on the last row on the plane; which made throwing up while on the airplane super convenient. I appreciated having instant access to the restroom. However, it seems that exhaustion brings out all things emotional in Ali Mays Flegal.

We’ve had some great reunions since our arrival. Andrew’s brother, Mike, greeted us when we landed in SLC (he works for Delta). He was right there and eagerly took our passed out baby into his arms. My parents picked us up, drove our car back to our house last night after dropping us off, stocked our fridge with food and made us this sign (in addition to two others in our house)Oh! I don’t know if I mentioned that the day we flew home was our three-year wedding anniversary. Romance wasn’t our top priority considering the circumstances, so when we arrived home and found a beautiful chocolate cake shaped like a heart waiting for us, we were sincerely touched and grateful for the recognition.

Andrew’s sister Katie made it and believe you me, it was SO delicious and truly aesthetically pleasing. These acts have eased our sadness and reminded us of why we’re grateful to be home.
To our friends in Germany, it was a privilege. We miss you so much that it hurts. I am a huge baby. Goodnight from Salt Lake.