Today was a big day that our family had been anticipating for a long time...Jamie is back in the States! It's been just over 14 months since we dropped her off at the airport to begin her 27 months of Peace Corps service on the Pacific island Tonga, so to say we were ecstatic to see her would be a huge understatement!
Yesterday the girls and I drove to Scottsville and today we were all up bright and early to go pick her up at the Nashville airport. We arrived at the airport around the time her plane was set to land and tried to figure out where to park and where to go. I'll avoid the frustrating details around our parking, but let's just say the security guard working near the 10 minute parking area we were in was extremely frustrating and in full rent-a-cop mode! When Jamie came down the escalator where we were waiting, Mom and the girls were the only ones inside (because Dad had I had been asked to drive our cars around the airport circle and re-park...seriously) but sweet Ella was crouched down at the bottom of the escalator holding one half of a "Welcome Home Aunt JJ" sign, and Jamie said she wished she could freeze that moment when they first saw each other and Ella whispered "that's JJ!" to Mom. When Jamie left last October Kendall was 6 months old and Ella was 3 months shy of 3 years old, so they have changed a lot since she left! I made it inside soon and we all exchanged lots of hugs. Then another security guard made me go back outside with my unattended car, since Dad standing next to it with his car wasn't enough. I'll go on and mention that I greatly dislike the Nashville airport! Ella was so excited to see Jamie, and kept saying "Can JJ ride in our car? I missed JJ. I like JJ's suitcase." ha ha.
We went to a nearby Dairy Queen for breakfast since Jamie had insisted on her "first meal" being a Blizzard. Unfortunately her stomach was upset from ice cream at the LA airport the day before, so she stuck with biscuits and gravy. From there to mom and dad's house she rode with us. Ella talked a million miles a minute, and Jamie was cracking me up as she readjusted to the country. When we drove by the Sonic in Scottsville she said, "Oh my gosh SONIC!!" I said, "Do you want me to stop and get something?" She said, "No, I just FORGOT about it! Ahhhh I can't wait to get a cranberry limeade!" ha ha! Oh the little things! Tonight mom made her favorite, meatloaf, and lots of veggies, and I thought Jamie was actually going to lick her plate clean.
Ella hasn't left Jamie's side since we got to mom and dad's house. Poor Jamie is so jet-lagged. She flew to Fiji and had a 12 hour layover, then to LA with a 12 hour layover, then to Chicago for a 2 hour layover before finally arriving in Nashville. So Jamie is exhausted but Ella has been glued to her hip. She is currently sleeping in her bed with her. As you can see in the pictures below, Ella is holding her hand. Ella usually insists on sleeping on a little cot we make in Travis's room, but tonight she wanted to sleep with Aunt JJ. I initially told her no, because Jamie needs a good night's sleep and Ella is a crazy, toss and turn sleeper, but she started bawling and Jamie insisted it was ok.
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