My “Secret Subject” is: Visiting the Homeland
My prompt is: "What is something you are thankful that happened this year?"
It was submitted by: http://themomisodes.com
Throughout the course of a year there are a lot of good things that happen that I can be thankful for. The health of my children and family, having a roof over our heads, food on the table and clothes on our backs.
But those are obvious.
Something that happened this year that I am truly thankful for is being able to go back to visit my homeland. Before I start, I should mention that I consider England and America to be my home. I was born in Miami, Florida but spent a lot of my childhood in England. I lived in England, Spain and Scotland from the time I was seven-years-old until we moved back to Florida when I was a freshman in high school.
When I was a teenager I would travel back to England and Scotland for three to four weeks over the summer visiting my grandparents, Aunt, Uncle, Cousins and friends. Once I left home for college my trips to the UK became less frequent and after I married and started a family they almost never happened. Traveling with a family is not cheap, especially 3,000 miles across the pond.
This summer I was fortunate enough to be able to take my husband and three of our children to England. We got to be there for my stepfather's surprise 70th birthday party where I saw friends and family I hadn't seen in years (including my sister who lives in Malaysia), we got to stay with my grandmother for a week, we stayed with my Aunt and Uncle and cousins in Wimbledon and saw two childhood friends of mine. I should note that the baby is named after my grandmother. When we made the trip the baby was seventeen-months-old and my grandmother had not yet met her namesake.
The flight over went surprisingly well. Hubs and I were in two seat at the bulkhead where there was a table that folded out of the wall and a reclining chair was set up for the baby. She only wanted to be in it when she was sleeping, so luckily she slept for about 5 hours on the way over (we flew over night). The other two kids were in the seats directly behind us. They were extremely excited as they had no idea where we were going until we were standing at the check-in a the airport!
Kids faces as we pulled into the airport and
they realized we were flying somewhere.
Baby sleeping on the plane.
While we were visiting my grandmother I got to go to the grave of my grandfather who died of lung cancer four years ago. The last time I saw him was a month before he passed. He was diagnosed in the summer and within months he was gone. He wasn't a smoker, he was incredibly active and healthy up to that point. My brother and I lived with our grandparents for a while after our parents divorced. They were like second parents to us and were always a constant in our lives. It was extremely emotional for me but I loved that my children got to replace the flowers on their great-grandfather's grave. They hadn't seen him since they were four and eighteen-months-old, so the only memories they have of him are those in photographs.
Kids being silly with my sister
Changing out the flowers at their
great-grandfather's grave.
Traditional English Sunday roast
My grandmother reading with
her namesake
Buckingham Palace
Changing of the Guards
Harrods
One day we took a riverboat up the Thames to a place called Hampton Court Palace. The palace was build by King Henry VIII where he (and his six wives) lived and dates back to the 1500's!
Front of Hampton Court Palace
Hubs and I fraternizing with the
Hampton Court Palace locals
We also got to visit friends in the Lake District in the North of England. We saw beautiful lakes and got to visit the Beatrix Potter experience.
Walking through Kendal in the Lake District
Inside the Beatrix Potter experience
On our way back south from the Lake District we stopped at Morecambe Bay. Having grown up on the Atlantic in Florida, hubs was determined to see the other side of the Atlantic. We had a really great traditional English fish and chips for lunch.
Morecambe Bay
Not many people get to travel, let alone out of the country. I know how incredibly lucky my family and I are and I am extremely thankful for the experience we all got to share. Now we need to start saving up for the next trip!
Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:
http://www.BakingInATornado.
http://themomisodes.com
http://spatulasonparade.
http://stacysewsandschools.
http://dinoheromommy.com/
http://climaxedtheblog.
http://www.someoneelsesgenius.
http://berghamchronicles.
http://thethreegerbers.
http://www.
http://sparklyjenn.blogspot.
