Taking Off for Kigali

The day had come to return to Kigali and although I was happy to be 

able to get back to Kigali and to Bruce... I knew today would be a rough one

emotionally.  

BUT Heather and Colin and kids arrived in the morning with Mr. Donut 

treats.... Who could be sad about that?  

So, we had a little more time together. They left late morning and Rob and 

Michelle and boys came to help me pack and load the cars. 

It was totally hectic to try to do that--- put the house back in some sort of order 

for a party that Erika and Bobby would be having later that day and 

still try to keep focused on what yet had to be done.  

Michelle and kids came just around noon and with everyone there I forgot a couple of things but the WORST thing was I left the house without saying 

goodbye to my boy, Barney!  I'm still feeling awful about that.  

Hope he didn't mope too long, Erika.. I'm sure you cheered him up. 

You are doing a tremendous job taking care of him. Thank you! 

At the airport Rob suggested we take some pics outside.   

"Leaning, leaning, leaning on the ever-lasting arms..."

Oscar hitting a high note!

 Still have a grip on 'em here....Couldn't hug them all enough.

 Surrounded with love..and Oscar
checking out an airplane
taking off. 

Leaving the Burgh.... my eyes were shot.

I don't know if this video will work... but Rob shot this with the boys 

and Michelle as they watched to see my plane take off.  

So incredibly sweet!  It might take a couple of days

to download here. ha!   I only wished i could have really seen them... I was 

on the wrong side of the plane!

Gloomy at this point both outside and in.
I missed everyone so much already!
By the second leg of the trip...
the trip of 23 hours, I had stopped crying. 

And then coming into Amsterdam was this spectacular view from the sky. 

 Not earth, wind and fire... but earth, sea and sky! 

And the final leg of the trip we flew over the Sahara desert for hours!

It's hard to imagine that it is THIS BIG and i'm only seeing a little bit of it.
Thousands of miles of sand.  Just looked up these facts for you....

The Sahara is the world's largest hot desert and third largest desert, after Antarctica and the Arctic. At over 9,400,000 square kilometres, it covers most of North Africa, making it almost as large as China or the United States. Wikipedia

I didn't know that Antarctica and the Artic were deserts, did you?  

Maybe somebody should check that out... I did but you wouldn't believe me if i told you! 

Thanks for traveling with me back home...to America...

Now back to Africa.

love,
margie

P.S.  Bruce, Innocent, Kofi and Arlene were at the airport to greet me...
It was great to see them all after such a long trip!