Wednesday .... The Day We Must Say Good-bye.

Wednesday August 29, 2007

Our daughter Mary and family had been spending a two week visit with us. Her husband had an earlier return due to his work. We somehow have become accustomed to this frenzy that precedes the departure.

Tuesday evening we had a dinner with daughter Anne and family. Anne was returning from a three day meeting and it gave everyone a chance to say their good-bye. Granddaughter Anna is so fond of her cousins that are her age. It was so fun to see again how seven and eight year old girls interact and laugh together. You just wish you could bottle this and save it. It takes so little to make them so happy and what great imaginations. Good-byes are even difficult at this age.

We returned home after dinner for the last minute (which lasts a few hours) packing of the suitcases. Mary seems to be brand loyal. Many of her favorite American brands cost triple the amount in Italy and with the great exchange rate of the euro at 1.367 to our dollar, Mary can't afford to not buy it!!! Because of her frequent flier classification with the airline she is allowed more weight with her luggage and we know she uses it.

Following about a two hour session of packing we loaded her rental car and our van with six of the largest size suitcases. We were all exhausted from a two week fun filled time. We all went to bed knowing the alarms would be ringing in less than six hours.

I awoke at 4:58 a.m. to find Mary in the family room doing some last minute work with her computer. The girls were called and amazingly both got out of bed on the first call. Breakfast was quick and we were off for Mary's morning fix of a Cappuccino and then to the airport.

I can still see them as they waved their last good-bye with a thrown kiss before walking into the airport terminal to board their flight. I always say a prayer for a safe flight.

We returned back home from our first trip to the airport to do some quick laundry remake the beds, clean up the house (some) and head back to the airport with daughter Anne. We boarded our noon flights and arrived back in Ohio after eleven o'clock p.m.

I might add that today an email arrived saying they were there safe and sound, tired but back in Milano.

Today I feel like I just need this day to slow down to my usual pace! Who said children keep you young?