following the LEADER

WOW!  We have been having some fun.  Here is the story of Sam’s ideal day, the day we had yesterday…..

Go to the hot dog restaurant “aka Le Gourmet” with everyone we love and work with in Niger and stay until 10pm.  Go back to the Teagues and put on your pjs.  Go to the airport and (finally) get your turn to actually go in and get on an airplane. Watch the stairs roll up to the airplane you’re going to ride on. Ride a bus to the airplane.  When Sam saw the airplane he started jumping up and down and screaming, “Look, Hopie, look!”

Get on the airplane and take off (3:30am and the kid was not grumpy, he was SO excited).

Sleep all the way to Casablanca.  Get off the airplane and then go on the first escalator you ever remember seeing.  Fall down and get rescued by Dad. Ride on a cool bus across the airport parking lot full of planes and buses.  Get on ANOTHER PLANE!!  Sit with Mommy and Daddy and Nata and watch movies on the ipod (which he can operate himself).  And eat cool airplane food including my very own yogurt and orange juice and hot tea (all treats).

Get off the airplane and get our luggage (except the stroller- not such a happy story) and ride in the car with Helen to her house.  And talk about all the fun things we’re going to do and see.  And talk about how much France strangley reminds of America because it’s modern and green.  And did I mention it was in the low 60s?  This made mommy a little giddy.

Go to MacDonalds on the way home and play and eat yummy food.

Go to Helen’s house and see the awesome child-proof house next door that we get to stay in.  (THANK YOU PERENTIS!!)

Go to the train station and see a really fast train leave for Paris.  Go to the beach and see Spain from the sand of France.  So beautiful, although the boys we’re a little terrified of the huge waves.

Go home and eat a yummy dinner Helen made.  Collapse in our comfy bed.

A very good day.   Thanks for your prayers for safe travel.  Sam did amazing.  And Nata, well, he made it.  *wink, wink, grin, grin*

These are pictures from the walk we took this morning to the awesome park by Helen’s house.  Biarritz is like paradise.  We are LOVING the fact that we are here.

We’re preparing for a 40+ degree change in temps around here.

Some how in between the suitcase packing, cleaning, and organizing, I’ve found some time for lots of crocheting and other crafting.  It’s helping me keep some calm in my days.

While the boys begin to discover fun things about Western culture.  Nathaniel doesn’t remember the stroller, but both boys are totally excited about the possibilities it holds.

And we’re enjoying our last few moments of 100 degree temps, and all the toys and fun at home that we love and will miss.

Mommy made blue and white hats for the boys and a very loud multi-colored one for herself.  And I’m working on a matching multi-colored scarf.  I’m sure they will all be prominently featured in our upcoming posts about our time in France.  In 48 hours we will be en route! (but who’s counting?)

Lately our days, here at Chez Jo, have been filled with rubber maid containers, suitcases, clothes, toys, and a lot of hard, but fufilling work.  Although travel has been a huge part of our family life from the start (as it is for all families who live abroad), preparing to go is never a small job.  I often think back to the days before kids.  Oh how simple things were!  When the kids arrived, we were determined that they would not slow us down in our love for travel.  Both of my boys flew before their 1 month birthdays.  BUT traveling with tots IS , in fact, a slower process.  Every one who has stood behind a family in the security line at the airport knows that.  With strollers, car seats, and multiple pairs of shoes, there’s just no quick way to do it.  This time we’re in for an overnight flight to France, a week of vacation there including a 5 hour train ride, and a trans-Atlantic flight from Paris to Boston with a stop in Dublin.  All of this travel and packing gets a mommy thinking about what toys and books and blankies we can’t live without.

Sam and Nathaniel headed to the airport for a flight from Boston to Richmond. Nathaniel is one month old.

So, I thought it would be fun to start a little conversation with those of you out there who have traveled a ton with your kids about what works and what doesn’t.  I have been blessed, so far, with very smooth travel experiences complete with sleeping babies and lots of help.  Our roughest experiences have definitely been those that we’ve made coming FROM America TO Africa when we loaded ourselves down with too many carry on things and then had to run all over airports with back packs and rolling suitcases hanging off in strange places.

Sam's passport photo

Here are a few things I’ve learned about traveling with kids:

1. Less is more.  Although you think you’re not going to be able to live without 20 diapers and 6 changes of clothes and 10 toys, you’ll be glad when you don’t have to carry all of that.

2. Small umbrella strollers work better.  Air France confescated our large double stroller one time and we had a very difficult time hauling the 2 kids, car seats, and all that carry on luggage across a very difficult airport.  A small umbrella stroller will fit in the overhead compartment of most planes and can be used all the way to your seat on most planes.

3.  A few surprises help: stickers, small new toys, some non sugary snack treats.  We like color wonder markers.  They only write on the special paper that comes with them.

Brookley and Sam at Dulles International Airport before boarding a plane for France. Summer 08. Notice our huge pile of luggage in the back ground.

I have several friends and family members traveling with their tots this month including my friend Faith, missionary to N. Africa, who will be traversing the Atlantic for the first time with 3 kids under 5 and my sister-in-law who will be taking her first flight with my new 3 month nephew, Spencer.  And although we are experienced travelers, there are many of you out there who have more experience than us.  We would love to learn your secrets!  Please share!