Back Again

This is the longest I've gone between posts - a whole week!!

These are the two signs that I managed to leave behind when we went to pick up Drew - the first one I left at home and the second one (that Meg rushed around to buy the supplies for before we picked her up) I left in the car and had to run back to retrieve!

There are some interesting stamps in Drew's passport - this is the all important document that allowed him into Canada way back in January last year. The forms to get this entry visa were delayed for a week in Toowoomba after the horrible flooding of 2011.

Airport Photos

Of course, we took lots of photos to record the homecoming. Here are the boys waiting at the luggage carousel.

Granny missed Drew terribly.

We don't usually let Gibbo near the camera but on some occasions it can't be helped. He got trigger finger happy and just kept on shooting.............

My two babies, together again!

We drove to Tba and went and organised a new phone for Drew. Meg had researched and decided which one was best. She organised one for herself too!

Then we had Family Night Dinner with the Tba rellies; Desley organised a belated 18th birthday cake for Drew and we all sang (badly).

We left Meg in Tba then dropped in on Fran, Sophie and Bree just so Drew could hug them and say hello. We finally got home at 10pm and after an hour of talking, fell into bed.

Tears and Laughter

We left home at 9, picked Mum up and headed to Tba to pick up Meg. I drove. Just outside Tba I realised I'd left the Welcome Home Drew sign at home.........and burst into tears. A quick phone call to Meg, a quick dash to the newsagent and she fixed the problem!

Just outside Brisbane, Drew texted from the tarmac in Sydney! He'd landed!!!! Half an hour late!!! He was still on the plane!!!The chances of making his next flight were very slim - he tried, but didn't make it to the transfer desk in time...."I'm sorry Mr Gibbons but you're too late to book your luggage in. We'll put you on the next flight in an hour"...........what's another hour after so long anyway? We pulled up on Nudgee Road and had fish and chips.

We arrived at the airport and parked and headed across to the terminal to wait. Half way there I realised I'd forgotten the second Welcome Home sign so I ran all the way back to the car to retrieve it. In the terminal we waited and watched the escalator. Waiting....waiting....watching legs appearing at the top of the stairs and waiting to see bodies as they came down. Finally, there he was!!! WARNING - the next fifty (!) photos record those first twenty seconds or so of Drew and me greeting each other. Meg was so good on the camera, recording it all!!

Ahh, home at last!!

Home at Last!!

We have him.......

Another Journey

Woke up at 2am, anticipating. L emailed at 6 to say Drew had left the house; he rang a while later - goodbyes said, bags booked in, boarding pass in hand.

A five hour flight to Vancouver. Another phone call. He'd found his gate. A three hour wait. Slowly, slowly he's making his way to us. I've been checking the flight status - late taking off from V which makes the Sydney connection even tighter than it already was! Fifteen hours for this leg....but not long now.

He couldn't help himself in Vancouver - he announced on fb that he was on the way. Some of his Canadian friends had already posted goodbyes - some of them were so sad they made me cry, especially one of them from a friend who didn't know he was leaving today...... I really need to toughen up a bit......so the news was out there.

I spent the morning in town doing jobs and then we went for the second look at the farm; Andrew came with us this time. It's grown on me a little but enough to want to buy it and live there? Still not sure. I see the sense in buying it and I appreciate it's positives - house, good yards, laneways, pasture, rotational grazing set up, sheds, old dairy, aspect - but do I see myself there? Again, not sure. Had better make up my mind though.

Weird

Trying to syncronise our timing with Drew over Christmas has taken some thought. He is fifteen hours behind so when we skyped him Christmas morning here it was still Christmas Eve in Canada. Then when I spoke to him at 9 o'clock on his Christmas morning it was minutes after midnight here.

Today (Boxing Day) we talked for a long time while he packed his bag for Antarctica. While we talked he checked a weather report for Antarctica - it was minus 17 degrees! It was Christmas night in Canada and we said hello to his host family. While we were having a look at their enormous Christmas tree some other family arrived so we said hello to all of them as they came in the front door!! So while we were going about our jobs this morning Drew was having Christmas dinner!

We've just skyped again and said our goodbyes. I cried. He cried. In about 10 hours he will head to Ottawa train station to travel to Toronto (about five hours) where he will meet up with the Students on Ice team. He's a little nervous. I'm a little nervous. Once he finds the group he'll be fine........and then the next adventure in his life begins!

Stay Safe Drewy...........and Stay Warm!! See you in a couple of weeks!!!! Love You!