The first post on our first blog. Oh, the pressure!

I had a hard time figuring out how to start this. I could tell you how much fun it is to go through security three times in three different airports and in the middle of "our night" at one point. And how our kids cried the first time because they thought they weren't going to get their bags or shoes back and how I had to bribe them to go through the box-like thing to the scary police-like man on the other side.

I could tell you how to waste time in Chicago when your plane is late and how to get your kids to sleep on the benches in London-Heathrow and how to get a 2 year old to sit for all those flights. (Actually, I couldn't tell you how to do that.)

But all those details sound kind of boring now. What's more important to know is that when you come into Lyon airport have a 1 euro coin with you. People there will not, no matter how tired you look or how much you offer (5 euro bill for a 1 euro coin), give you one. Even as they are returning their own carts. You should also just get into line at the missing luggage line b/c by the time you have figured out that you lost one piece of luggage and what it is, it will be your turn and you won't have to wait another hour in line to fill in the paperwork.

Also, don't worry about going through customs. It's sorta not there. As in, no line, no checkpoint, no questions about what you brought into our country. We picked up our bags and walked on through.

And, right now I would like to thank the two men, Chris and Chuck, who, out of the kindness of their hearts and under no obligation, drove all the way to Lyon to pick us up, because our flight had been delayed which would have forced us to spend the night in an expensive hotel and then travel by train and bus the next day with three cranky children, seven heavy pieces of luggage, and various other things hanging off our persons.

That seems like a better way to start a blog.

(We also need to mention the Jaroski's b/c without their help we would probably still be trying to pack the storage unit.)

This was taken a week before we left Texas.