Jan 23rd and 24th, and again on the 25th before FINALLY!

We flew on January 23rd (San Fran to Tokyo), and by the time we landed it was the 24th and we connected to Bangkok.  Landed at almost midnight, slept 5 hours at an airport hotel (sigh), hit the hotel breakfast buffet and pool for a swim before we went back to the aiport for a final flight the afternoon of the 25th.

I feared it might have been pulling teeth to get everyone on that last airplane but they were SO FIRED UP to see their friends that I had to turn around and shush the big three (who were sharing the row behind us) several times on that last flight.  They were giddy.  Ecstatic.  Loopy.  Silly.  And so so ready to be with their people.

This is also the point on our journey where we started shedding luggage.  Left 6 pieces in storage in Bangkok.  Two of our bags were for other people and we happily delivered them and said goodbye for good!  Three other pieces were were able to send ahead to our city in China with friends who were flying that way.  If you didn't follow all that, it's ok :). Since moving out of our North Dakota housing I've felt a bit like I run logistics for a small company, and I'm not interested in keeping my job! ha! thankfully it's all gone fairly smoothly, though we do have a pile of dirty laundry in luggage storage in Bangkok, and I can't find my Bible (hoping it's with the dirty laundry?!?!) and I realized on day two that I only had access to one pair of pjs each for Isaac and John Paul and one bathing suit for myself.  oh well.

We were so happy to be with friends that we smiled through the jet lag :)

Amazing reunions with friends - yay!

and even a little hand holding on the escalators :)

I missed some boy friend pictures but oh it was sweet times for everyone.

The kids programming was amazing (always!) and we played so hard all day that we couldn't help but sleep well at night (mostly!).

The kids theme centered heavily on Roman times and several of my boys did not leave the hotel room without their swords and shields.  If there was any risk of ambush at the breakfast buffet I was going to be well protected by my sons and their weaponry :)

We were mostly out and about, long days for everyone, but I do love this one picture of a quiet morning moment, Luke and I the only two awake (except Matt, who was already up and gone).

Watching the morning sun shine in northern Thailand, not a bad start to the day!