simple pleasures and surprises

i'm happy to be here.

we made it! it was a long 2 days but it feels so good to be home.  we had a safe trip and only a few minor hold-ups. avery and i had slightly different tickets than everyone else that sent us to dallas late last night instead of spending the night in miami.  i was a little apprehensive about that whole set up, traveling by myself with a toddler and tons of luggage (pretty much our lives for the last year plus car seat and stroller stuffed into suitcases) so my mother in law changed her ticket to come help me out since we would be staying in dallas for 12+ hours.  we got lucky that we came to dallas last night because the rest of the family that stayed the night in miami got stuck there all morning, had to rearrange flights and wont make it to SLC until super late tonight. 

there have been so many simple pleasures we've been able to enjoy since landing in the U.S. yesterday.

-i watched the most amazing lightening storm from the sky last night. prettiest things i've seen in a long time.

-i slept in a bed instead of on an airplane and woke up feeling refreshed instead of jet lagged.

-i ate a huge bowl of cold cereal with real milk this morning.  it has never tasted better.

-i bought american food and treats for avery in the airport that i didn't know were possible to miss.

-i flew over so many mountains covered in snow that seemed more beautiful to me than miles of beach and palm trees.

-i got butterflies in my stomach the minute our airplane touched ground in salt lake.

-i loved flushing toilet paper down the toilet instead of tossing it in the garbage. (sick but true)

-i drank the biggest cup of root beer. really the only pop i love and missed.

-i cried a little bit when i saw my parents at the airport and watched them with avery as she gave them her special card she made.

-i washed my face in warm water and it was lovely.

-i talked to my sisters on the phone instead of skype.

-i drank water out of the tap instead of a culligan-like filter.

the list could go on and on, but i think its clear we're glad to be home.  

oh, this is a little peak at what avery's super homemade special card said:

 october 16th, and we couldn't be happier.