What a week!!!
Friday:
William and the kids took Alexis and I to the airport Friday afternoon for a 4-5 hour flight to Baltimore. Fortunately, it was a direct flight. Unfortunately, Alexis went through all the activities I had planned in less than an hour. But we made it, and Fred was there to welcome us to rainy Maryland at 11 PM. Needless to say, we slept well that night. In fact, we slept in until 10:30 AM, which technically is 7:30 PM (AZ time). The usual.
Saturday:
Alexis warmed up to everyone really quickly. It sure helped that Luc and Aria were so sweet to her, and that they had awesome toys.
Luc was such a good little helper. With everything. From taking my 50 lbs luggage to the car, to buckling Alexis in and out of the carseat. He's the cutest!
Well, we thought this was goodbye for now, but little did we know we'd be seeing each other again just 5 hours later. Thunderstorms in Washington, DC delayed our flight over and over until UA cancelled it. There was no way I would have made my connection in Newark anyway. On the bright side, Alexis did fantastic while we were waiting. In fact she entertained everyone in line to speak to UA. Another blessing was that I was able to book another flight the following day which would be DIRECT. And probably the best blessing of all was that I was able to spend more time with Fred and his little family.
Sunday:
I woke up to Luc whispering, "But I love her SO MUCH!" We slept in again that morning, way past Luc and Aria, and they were getting antsy to play with us. We enjoyed a chill morning at home until it was time again to head over to the airport. Washington, DC, this time. The 7-hour flight went great, for Alexis, and she basically ate dinner, slept, and ate breakfast. Me, on the other hand, couldn't sleep. I was super uncomfortable with Alexis on me. And we even had an empty seat next to us, courtesy of the people who asked to be moved (maybe the baby scared them- haha). Yet another blessing, I suppose.
Monday:
Sweet, sweet Philou. He came to the airport bright and early to pick us up... and of course, our flight took longer than expected. Then I also had to go through custom and get my luggage. So let's just say he waited a while... Sorry, Philou. And he was so sweet and welcomed us with a Belgian stuffed animal as well as chocolate. Mhm-mmm. We got to the house and Parrain and Corinne fed us a yummy Belgian breakfast: croissant and petits pains au chocolat.
Stephanie got there shortly after we did and we stopped by her apartment, Marcel's grave, and the lot where she and Johnny will be building a house in the next couple of years.
Then back at the house we got into the hot tub, jumped into the cold pool, got back into the hot tub, had lunch, chatted, goofed off, had dinner, chatted, goofed off, and took a bunch of pictures.
Stephanie, Johnny, and Timea: I was the first one in our family to meet Timea, and she was oh-so-sweet! And a great eater! She may have eaten 5 times what Alexis ate that day. But between Timea and Alexis' naps, I don't think they spent that much time together. Fortunately, they're coming to Arizona in August, so we'll get to spend a lot more time together. Stephanie had to work today :-( But I was happy to see her for a few hours in the morning and then again for about an hour that night, before we headed back to Brussels with Marraine. This was also the first time I met Johnny, which is crazy because he and Stephanie have been together as long as Billy and I. I've heard so much about him and have been seeing so much of him on Facebook, though, that I really felt like I knew him.
Emilie, Gregory, and Arnaud. Emilie arrived with Arnaud and Gregory a few hours after we got there. I turned to Philippe and whispered, "Which one is Arnaud?" He said, "The one with the white shirt." So I responded, "Then who is the other guy?" He laughed and said, "That's Gregory! Your cousin!" I asked him to keep that conversation to ourselves, but it was hilarious that I didn't recognize him. In my defense, he was wearing sunglasses and had been growing out his hair for 2 years.
We had a great time, though. And Alexis warmed up to everyone very quickly, even though it was a full house that day with absolutely no familiar face except mine (I don't think she remembered Parrain and Corinne from last summer.) Overall, she did amazing!
Tuesday:
We slept in again, because we had some sleep to catch up on. It was midnight by the time we made it to Brussels, and we were tired AF! That morning, we got spoiled with breakfast again. We stopped by the old College du Sacre Coeur where my 1/2 and 3/4 grade teachers still work. It was great to see them, catch up for a few minutes (or 15) and see how little the school has changed in 18 years.
With the schedule I had set up for that week, that morning was also the only time I had to go chocolate shopping. So I loaded up with about 100 Euros' worth of chocolate and other treats. This will hopefully last me a while, because I'm not sharing! I was surprised that Alexis was already tired when we got to the store. Marine was super sweet and carried my sleeping Alexis through the store. Upper body workout. She said she felt it the next day. Haha.
We ate lunch then Marraine dropped me off at Celine's, where I was welcome with the longest hug ever and a few tears. It was so great to see her, catch up, and meet her beautiful daughters. Alexis got friendly with them and the cat really quickly. That poor cat was afraid to get close because Alexis meowed and ran every time she saw him.
I was also lucky to see my 5/6 grade teacher at Celine's because he is Arnaud's godfather. He came to drop off Capucine from preschool. And I saw Annette, too, because she dropped off Valentine from school.
Elaine also took a few hours from her day to hang out and it was so great to see her. I haven't known her as long as Celine, but she has always been a great friend. It was fun to see that she and Celine and many others have remained friends through the years. In fact, Celine is one of Elaine's sons' godmother. I thought that was super cool. We had a great day, and great evening, and a wonderful barbecue a la Belge. And it's so cool, too, to see Celine and Arnaud together, knowing that they first met in 1st grade. They each took different paths, but ended up finding their way back together and basically have the best love story. They're so cute together and their daughters are absolutely beautiful!
Wednesday:
I had a lunch scheduled with Gwenaelle, so Marine took me downtown via tram and metro, and Philou met us there. Gwenaelle is now no longer living in Brussels, but she works here, has a boyfriend, and a little boy a little younger than Alexis. It was so fun catching up with her. Her parents were friends with mine, so we have known each other for a really long time. I remember playing Barbies with her and being a total brat when I wanted the only Ken to marry my Barbie and not hers. I'd always threaten to kill myself and she'd give in and let me have him. I was such a brat!
After lunch, I met up with Marine and Philou and played tourists. We saw La Grand Place and Mannekenpis. We also got our shopping on! And I bought some undies, clothes for the kids, and Martine books. I also ate a Liege waffle and was a bit disappointed because it wasn't fresh. They'd basically cooked it long before and had reheated it for me. It was still good, but not great.
We made it back at the house just in time for Marraine to take us to Iris. Iris had made the trip to the United States for my wedding reception, which meant so much to me. So I went to see her and I think it meant a lot to her, too. I always called her Maya l'abeille because she once wore a dress (or shirt) that had black and yellow stripes. She isn't related by blood, but she may just as well be. She lived in an apartment above my dad's when he was growing up. Eventually, my dad introduced her to his cousin and they hit it off and got married. It only lasted 5 years and they never had kids. But my dad stayed in touch with her after the divorce and basically lost contact with his cousin. That cousin also happened to be Fred's godfather, but never played that role in his life, so I shared mine with him.
Then we went to Didier's apartment, or my apartment, since it still belongs to mom and dad. Didier is renting it from them and it is still pretty much the same. It's his stuff in it, but everything else is the same. I miss that view from my room. And I miss that bathroom that Tonton built with his own bare hands. That's why I took a picture of the tile. Also not pictured, the pink bathtub. I don't know what my parents were thinking. Dinner was amazing, especially with the croquettes that I requested. And Alexis ate le Saussisson de Paris until it was all gone. I was impressed! When we got back to the house, I put Alexis to sleep, and Philou spoiled me with a back and feet massage. He is good at what he does! Daaaang! That was the cherry on top of a fantastic day!
Thursday:
We slept in again. We were going to leave early for the beach, but that didn't happen. At least the apartment at the beach isn't too far. We got there just in time for lunch, cheese croquettes and a cucumber and tomato salad. Yum! Not sure what it is about these cheese croquettes, but they are delicious. I think it's hilarious that mom called Marraine and said, "Nathalie probably won't ask, but she really wants cheese croquettes." Well, mom, I did. I asked and I received. And it was delicious! We spent some time building a castle with connecting tunnels and it made me feel like a kid again. It was fun. We also played beach tennis (?) Marine was at the apartment studying for a final, so it was just Marraine, Philou, Alexis, and I. But then Marine met up with us and we walked down the beach. Alexis wasn't scared at all to get wet and walk right up to the water. She enjoyed walking with Marine and Philou who made her jump up in the air.
We then got a Brussels waffle at the restaurant where Marine works every Summer. I got one with bananas, vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, and whipped cream. It was soooo yummy! Walking back to the apartment, we stopped by the bakery and order the next day's breakfast.
That night we had various cheeses and sausages for our appetizer. Then we had salted crepes with cream cheese, salmon, and shrimp for dinner. Alexis then had a bath and we realized it was super late and the ice cream shop was going to close, so Marine and Philou RAN there and got me the cantaloupe ice cream I had been craving. Meanwhile, I put Alexis in her pajamas (for the 2nd time this whole trip) and laid in bed next to her. I heard Marine and Philou coming back, but Alexis was still super hyper. I ended up getting up with her to eat the ice cream because I didn't know how long it would take her to fall asleep and I didn't want my ice cream to melt. Alexis enjoyed the ice cream, especially Marine's actually (raspberry). When she was done, she waved everyone bye-bye, blew kisses, and said "night-night." She was ready to go to sleep! Haha.
Friday:
Marraine took me to Taty's house, where I was surprised to see Oceane, as well. Holy crap! Oceane is freaking 20 years old! I used to change her diapers! But the last time I saw her, she was Kendall's age, and I was taking care of her as my own daughter while Noelle was in the hospital. I fed her breakfast, took her to school, picked her up from school, helped with homework, fed her dinner, bathed her, read her bedtime stories, and laid her to sleep with a goodnight kiss. I can't believe that was 13 years ago!
I wanted to go see Tonton's grave, but it's not there anymore. It was a 5 year deal, and I had no idea! So instead we went to get durums. Funny story: I had texted Noelle that I wanted to get durums for lunch, and she called Oceane to let her know... while Oceane was out at lunch with Taty… eating durums! Haha. So anyway, we ate durums, and they were even better than I remembered, especially with the fricandelle inside. Alexis didn't care for the dry sauce I had in mine, so she ended up eating most of Oceane's tortilla. Thanks for sharing, Oceane :-)
Xavier then picked us up. Meanwhile, Alexis had fallen asleep in Taty's couch. It wasn't too long of a drive to their house... Noelle and Valentine were waiting outside. Some tears were shed, but I mostly held it together... then. We hung out and talked while eating appetizers. I also got a tour of the house where I saw a photo college in the hallway. Family pictures. And then, there it was: a picture of Tonton and I at Noelle and Xavier's luncheon. My favorite picture. It really moved me. Alexis, Valentine, and Oceane then went outside to play. Not too long after, we joined them outside for an impromptu photo shoot. Xavier's fancy camera took way better pictures than my phone. I was laughing so hard in the group picture because Oceane was holding Alexis, (Alexis still enjoys rubbing people's chest, it's her comfort thing, but she sometimes gets a little carried away and goes too far down) and Alexis was totally going there with Oceane. Oceane was laughing, probably from embarrassment/discomfort, and the more she laughed, the lower Alexis would get. So that's the story behind the picture. So we went from laughing hysterically to the next totally candid and totally vulnerable picture Xavier took of all the girls crying and holding nothing back. You can only see Valentine, Noelle, and I, but Oceane was there too. It was very emotional and I haven't cried like that in a very long time. It was hard saying bye. Really hard. It's tough not knowing when I will see them again. I wanna shoot for a trip every 2 years, but I don't know how possible that will be. At least we all have matching necklaces to bind us.
And can I stop for a second and point out how beautiful Oceane is? She is so beautiful! Inside and out. I am so proud of the person she has become. She visits Taty once to twice a month, stays with her, helps her, makes sure she moves around, etc. She is selfless and caring, and I have no doubt one day she will be a wonderful mother and wife.
That night, Philou and his boyfriend came back to the house again to say bye to us. They brought beignets and churros with them. They didn't stay long because I had to catch some snooze, but I had a very special hug with Philou. Alexis was super cute and kept us hugged together. Every time we let go, she brought us back together. In that hug, I told him how much it meant to me that he took so much time off his daily life to be with us. And I told him that this trip meant a lot to me because I had missed him so much. I told him I knew I'd see Marine and Stephanie later that summer, but I didn't know when I'd see him next. And he was a big reason for this trip. He is such a good guy. I may not agree with his lifestyle, but he is a sweetheart, and he is beautiful in every way. I wish I could have put him in my pocket and taken him home with me.
Saturday:
My flight got delayed from 10 AM to 2 PM. Well, hello, UA, I have a connecting flight in Newark again! No can do! Fortunately, Marine kept an eye out on other flights (even though she should have been focused on her final that day) and noticed a direct flight to Washington, DC, at noon. I called UA and they put me on it. Once again, a blessing in disguise. Direct flights are way better. This one was tough, though, because it was 8 hours long and in the middle of the day. It took me 3 hours, but I got Alexis to sleep. She was in a very light sleep, though, because everything kept waking her up. And the flight attendants didn't seem to care because they never took their voices down when passing us by. It didn't help that I was so sleep-deprived that I was nearly having a panic attack. I felt fidgety, and uncomfortable in my own body. I felt trapped. Trapped in my body and trapped in this airplane. I thought I would freak out and lose it at some point. 8 hours is a long time. I was ready to run out of there as soon as the plane landed. I was also on the border of tears. Because I was exhausted and a little embarrassed from bugging so many people with a crying baby. Fortunately, I was blessed with the most understanding people on the plane and many of them actually complimented Alexis on how well she'd done.
That night, Fred did a barbecue. Mom and Dad were there, too. And Alexis still remembered Luc and Aria and hugged the crap out of them. No, they are not head-locks. Yes, they are hugs.
Sunday:
We took it easy in the morning. We had breakfast, went on a walk, had lunch, got some snow cones, and packed up again. But it was so good to see them again. I am so glad I booked my flights so that I could spend some time with them. They've grown so much since the last time I saw them. I've seen them growing on Facebook and Facetime. But seeing them in person was amazing. Luc is not the shy little boy I remembered. He talked to me, played with me, and even cuddled up with me Aria is a feisty little thing! Haha. There is a lot of personality in that little body. But she is also very mature for her age. I always have to remind myself that she's 3, because she seems so much older.
They are both sweet kids, though. I wish I could see them more often. I need to make the time. Our lives are busy, but this is one thing I need to make time for. I can't let them grow not knowing their aunt and cousins. We're family. And when everything else is gone, the only thing you've got left is family. Families are forever. But kids grow up too quickly.
Plus, I've gotta keep that connection strong. Luc and Aria connected to Alexis so strongly that it melted my heart into one giant puddle. Our kids need to know their cousins. It's a special bond that they have. I want them to feel close, like I feel close to my cousins. My cousins are like my siblings. We have each other's backs, always. We disagree and fight, then we forgive and love. It's special. And I love it. I love them! So much!
Unfortunately, we had a connection this time. The first flight was pretty good, except for the fact that I had a middle seat. Alexis had gotten so used to seeing new faces and getting friendly with new people that she did just that with the guy next to us. He was a nice guy, though. He let her tickle him, use his table to put her drink on, and talked with us. We got off the plane in North Carolina, and it was time to line up for our other flight. That one was okay, too, I guess. I don't really remember anything particular about that one.
When the cat is gone... We face-timed every day that I was in Belgium, but our conversations were short, so... I stole some pictures from William's phone, but I don't really know the stories behind them. I know they spent an entire day at Jake's Unlimited. Like, they went there in the morning, had lunch there (buffet included), played, went home to nap, went back, had dinner, and went back home basically in time for bed. Oh, and I guess they also took Kendall to Vivian's birthday party. I know they also went to Sedona and rented an ATV. I think they stayed there a couple of days because they also did slide rock and jumped off the cliff. Taylor needed some motivation and had to jump off with a random guy because everyone else had already jumped. And they went camping in Flagstaff, in a teepee with bunk beds.
It's hard now... being away from these people I love. It's harder than it was before the trip. It's like I got a lick of ice cream, but then the ice cream got taken away from me. My life is here now. This is home. This is where my family is. But Belgium will always have my heart. And it will always be my second home, where I know I also have family. These people I made time to see, they mean the world to me. Blood-related or not, they're my family, too.
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