This was posted on June 16, 2011...
We just recently had internet installed in our apartment (sorry, our “flat”), so aside from the pictures on Facebook and the brief Skype visits with family, we haven’t been able to really communicate with everyone.
It seems like forever since Benjamin and I crossed the Atlantic to move to Egypt. We left April 11th from New Orleans and arrived the next day in Cairo. He and I were both tired, dirty and really over the Pairs Airport. Sara, my awesome co-pilot and best ever sister in law, came with us. It was great having the extra person to help me wrangle and lasso a 16 month old.
Overall the trip wasn’t too bad considering the circumstances. I was very sad to leave and anxious about the 20+ hour journey into the unknown. Benjamin was just happy to tell everyone “hi” a bunch of times and point out birds to everyone. The trip from New Orleans to Atlanta was well past naptime, so you can imagine how awesome that was. I ended up holding him in the back of the plane until he went to sleep… for the remaining 10 minutes of the flight. The time in ATL was fine. We waited until the last minute to board the plane so that the novelty of it all was brand new to Benny for at least an hour. God above too pity on us and the rest of the passengers by making sure we got the only seat on the plane that didn’t have anyone in front or in back of Benjamin. He could remove his remote control and beat the hell out of the seat in front of him and nobody cared. Benny finally conked out and slept for maybe 2 hours. It was when he almost fell out of the chair for the third time when I sadly realized “I’m not going to get any sleep on this trip.” I never knew how much I loved sleeping until I had a child. Realizing how much you love it comes to you when you’re on Day 3 of your new life with baby, and you come to the sobering conclusion that you’ll probably never get as much sleep as you’d like for a very very long time. I had a flashback of Day 3 on that Air France flight.
Using the tv remote as a beat stick. Thankfully nobody was in front of him, so Benny got to beat all flight long.
Maybe one day that tv will come in handy as entertainment. The only use it served this time was a target to hit his remote with.
Sock on his hand was to cover his bandage from his burn. Benny vs my Chi 0-1.
We arrived in Paris and made our way to our gate. Great thing too because had we not rushed we wouldn’t of been able to fully enjoy the full five hour delay at the gate. No child, no problem. With child- with a newly walking toddler drunk with the power of his new stride-big problem. Sara and I took turns walking with him around and around the terminal. And I mean around and around. You would think if you had slept all crooked on a bumpy flight you’d want to kick back and relax. Drink some apple juice or something. Eat a baguette. Not Benjamin House, the little man my dad so aptly named “The Demolisher”. Sitting was not an option. Luckily he fell asleep again….with 10 minutes to go before we boarded the plane.
The payoff for walking around and around our gate at CDG with Benny. It lasted all of 10 minutes...
He actually slept from Paris to Cairo. The Flight Attendant sent from Heaven gave us some milk and he conked out. I woke up as they turned the lights on the plane and thought “You just fed us. Sleep > eating some crap cantaloupe and frozen bread.” But it was actually about an hour before we landed so I realized we actually slept for a good bit.
Seth arranged for a man to meet us right as we exited the plane. He took our passports and got us our entry visas. It was really nice having that. He also helped us get our bags.
Then- the moment I couldn’t wait for all trip. Seeing Seth was great, and seeing him see us (especially Benny) was amazing. He was so glad we were finally there. Benjamin reached out for him and we were a family again.
We arrived at our apartment, showered and dove into bed. We woke up around noon the next day. We here = Sara and myself. Benny woke up who knows when. He stirred and Seth got him. I awoke feeling like all people who have crossed several time zones- like someone hit you upside the head with a shovel or you just ended a Fight Club session. We went and had lunch and really took it easy.
So, that’s our journey here. Overall it was okay. I think the walking to the Non Duty shop for the billionth time really did me in. One can take avoiding having your toddler knock over displays of Swiss chocolates and Absolute Vodka so many times.
We’re pretty settled now. I take Benny to a playgroup every Wednesday. I’ve met some great mom’s there from all over. Benny now says water like a little kid from London, but then he also says light like he’s from the woodiest part of Alabama so I don’t know what’s going on with his accent.
Seth is enjoying work. We love that he doesn’t have to be at the BP morning meeting until 8:30 (as opposed to 7:00 like in Houston). We love that he can come home for lunch and gets home around 4:30. No fighting for your life on Katy Freeway, no Merges of Death on 59. It’s simplified, and that’s wonderful.
So far really enjoying it here in Cairo. There are up’s and down’s (more on that later), but we like it. The Honeymoon phase is dwindling and we are starting to really miss home. Really miss it! Two years here- time will fly! In the meantime we will enjoy trips to the Red Sea, Sinai and (hopefully) a trip to the UK in October.
Love everyone, miss all of you!
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