Bon Voyage!

After spending a week in Vicksburg packing and getting ready to leave, it was finally time to start our big trip. We headed with Gran and Grandaddy to Baton Rouge to see Uncle Will, Aunt Misty and our cousins, Parker and Henry. The boys loved getting to hang out and play and the adults had a chance to visit and eat a delicious meal together.

Parker and Joseph love playing together

Henry and Uncle Joey reading a book

Misty got this beautiful, yummy cake to celebrate the occasion 

On Tuesday morning, we got up early and headed to the New Orleans Airport with Gran and Grandaddy. We were there two and a half hours early and felt like we had plenty of time. Joey went inside with the curbside check-in attendant to get our bags checked and us on our way.

our luggage: 5 suitcases, 3 bins, one computer box, 4 carry-ons, 1 stroller

Over 2 hours later, he was still in line waiting for them to clear up a problem with our passports!! Since Joey's and Joseph's names are exactly the same except for the suffix, the computer wouldn't let them check-in. Plus, since it was a passport problem, the airline was having trouble just making the issue go away. Thankfully, it eventually worked out, they held our plane for us, we flew through security and made it on the flight. Whew!!

Joseph playing with his first "surprise": an airplane from the new movie Planes

James fell fast asleep

We had a 6 hour layover in Chicago, which might be the best airport for kids around. We ate lunch after we landed and then headed to the kids' play area. The boys loved running off some energy!!

Joey pulling two carseats and two carry-ons through the international terminal

Fun time in the Kid's Play Area

Uh-oh: Look who's flying the plane!!

After a little bit, we loaded up and explored the airport. Chicago O'Hare has the great light display tunnel set to music which is so fun and peaceful to walk through. We saw a dinosaur skeleton from the Field Museum and grabbed a light dinner before the boys got geared up for our international flight in their matching airplane pjs.

Ready for our first international flight to London!

The flight to London went surprisingly well. The boys watched movies and eventually fell asleep. James may or may not have been that kid that wakes up half the plane before it's really time to wake up (just about 30 minutes early, so we forgave him:).

I've been to London Heathrow before but did not remember how large, confusing, and not so kid friendly it is. Lots of designer stores and duty free shopping...not a lot of kid friendly cuisine. We finally found some starbucks and some breakfast. At this point, it was 9am London time and 3 am our time (yikes!!). James fell asleep as we went through immigration and even slept through security (which allowed for the added bonus of not folding up our stroller).

 Getting some much needed sleep

The boys slept off and on during our next flight and we eventually arrived in Edinburgh with virtually zero delays our entire trip (besides being held up in New Orleans with the passport issue).  We were so thankful for how God provided every step of the way and how the trip was really almost as smooth as it could possibly be. On every flight, we had at least one flight attendant that offered us an extra hand in taking care of the kids or carrying carseats and never dealt with an attendant that was difficult or frustrated with our traveling with two small children. A nice man helped us lift the boys in their stroller onto the transit bus to get to our terminal in Heathrow. We had prepared ourselves for standing in line with tired, cranky children and all our luggage to go through customs. Come to find out, we just had to pick up our bags in Edinburgh at a baggage claimand that was customs?! We'll take it! So many blessings that helped make this a very smooth trip!!

a little caffeine on the British Airways flight from London to Edinburgh

We're in Scotland!!

We took a shuttle service to St. Andrews and enjoyed seeing the Scottish countryside for the first time. We went straight to our temporary one bedroom flat and got a little settled in before taking a stroll down Market Street for dinner and groceries. The boys (all 3) slept great that night: from 9pm-8:30am. I didn't do as well and woke up around 1:30am but we have all recovered now and are back on schedule. New post soon on our first day in St. Andrews!