Back to London we went to spend more quality time with our fabulous friends and to sneak in some more sightseeing.
The British Museum. Astounding. Immense. Overwhelming.
One trick to getting Luke to be excited about a museum was to give him reigns on the map and let him choose a thing or two to look at. His top priority?! Mummies! We also got to see the Rosetta Stone and some amazing jewels.
The Tower Bridge. Photo taken from the London Bridge. Our only rainy day.
A silly picture but we were so very very proud of Luke and his behavior throughout the trip, especially in restaurants! In our "normal" life we don't go out to eat very often so this was a lot to ask but he did great at each place.
Hello? Who is it? :)
More park beauty on our last day in London.
A trip to the Princess Diana Memorial Playground. Wow! Such a wonderland for the kiddos!
Let me pause here because the following photos are really what it is all about. I have always loved to travel, always! It is my absolute favorite hobby and L and I feel that it is a top priority for us to have Luke travel too. There is just nothing like seeing a place that is so different from what you know, being immersed in a culture that is not your own and adapting to customs and languages. It teaches respect, tolerance, admiration, adaptability, lifelong wonder, and it gives you a sense of place. It is a priority in our lives to travel. The Earth is the greatest classroom of all and we are so blessed and grateful that we have the ability to do this, I hope we always do!
However, traveling to see the sights, understand the culture, be a part of something bigger than yourself is one thing....traveling to do all of those things PLUS visit friends that mean the world to you is another. Yes, we traveled to England and Scotland and got to see some amazing sights and have some amazing experiences but our favorite memories are, and will always be, our time with our friends and their brilliant and beautiful daughters! Relationships are what make you whole. We love the Gonzalez family. We are inspired by them, we respect them, and we count them as one of our greatest blessings. As L and I get older we tend to gravitate to the concept of quality versus quantity. We have led a life together that involves many zipcodes and many front doors and so we have had the pleasure of meeting many many people. But there are just some friendships that turn into more. Friends that become family. Friends that, despite thousands of miles of separation, matter. Truly matter. We are so incredibly thankful to share in their life, so incredibly thankful to spend time with K and C and to see the AMAZING girls they are becoming, so incredibly thankful that T and R and L and I connect on so many levels - we are parents, we are Americans, we are concerned with politics, cultures, education, and doing the absolute best we can for our kids. We "GET" each other and that speaks volumes. We love them dearly and they are family! We thank them yet again for their hospitality, friendship, and love!
Here are the pictures that matter most:
T leading the kiddos in play doh time!
So many bookworms in one house! I have to say, R has some of the best "voices" I have ever heard!
Love!
Together again. :)
THIS is what it is all about!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment