Three reasons to cheer

Our luggage now lives back at our house!!! We are so very excited. Locally, we weren't getting far in finding our bag, despite enlisting our secret weapon: our Turkish friend Rana. But when JB called Delta nationally they were able to track down our bag and tell us that it was in Istanbul on a flight to Adana. Go them!

Last night JB and I decided to leave the boys with Veronica and head down to the airport to retrieve the bag. It took an hour at the airport to get through the various channels and language barriers, but we eventually were taken into a hallway where a fantastic reunion awaited. Hubby had done some major shopping while he was home. That, coupled with his military uniforms, sunglasses, hiking boots, and gifts from family to me and the boys, meant this bag was quite valuable!

I continue to struggle with the lack of waiting in lines in Turkish culture. We had to wait in a long line to get through security in order to get into the airport. While we waited, people were continually just cutting right in front of us. It is hard to wait in line yourself while people just pass you by. You just have to take a deep breath and accept that you will get there eventually -- just a little bit later than if no one cut you.

Afterward, JB took me out for dinner in the "ritzier" part of Adana. We went to a Fabulous British Pub called The North Shield. I had been to one of these before in Istanbul. I wasn't disappointed then, and certainly was disappointed last night. Good food, fantastic atmosphere, and truly the feeling, for a few hours, as if I wasn't in Turkey.

I hope that comes out right. We do like living here. But sometimes we just need something that feels like home. When so much of your life is spent in a foreign environment, a bit of "normal" feels so nice. While I did practice my Turkish with our waiter (who spoke a decent amount of English), we enjoyed a fairly American appetizer, breads, meal, and appetizer. The beer was German, but I didn't drink that anyways. :)

Not only was it nice (1) getting JB's luggage back and (2) enjoying a date night out, but we also have a third reason to be happy. Her name is (3) Veronica. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to leave the boys with someone who knows them so well. Someone they are so used to and comfortable around that Daddy and Mommy leaving really isn't a big deal at all. She is helping us so much here both while I am home and with allowing me to run some errands or JB and I to have an occasional date. So wonderful to have her here.