After (narrowly) avoiding a workers’ strike that would have stranded us at the Brussels airport, we began our 20+ hour journey to Kansas City to celebrate Christmas with our families. Aside from a few minor outbursts, Max was an outstanding traveler. His favorite parts of the adventure were the moving walkways and the play area at the Philadelphia airport.
We arrived in Kansas City with enough time to recooperate from jet lag before the holidays offically began. Max has a habit of getting sick after our transatlantic journies, and this trip was no exception. This time it was Roseola, which made coping with the 7-hour time difference all the more difficult.
Once Max was feeling better, we made the most of our time in KC. We met Santa, saw the model trains at Union Station, savored our favorite Kansas City-area coffee, and spent as much time as possible with our respective families. We especially cherished getting to meet our nephew/cousin Graham, who was born after we left for Belgium.
Christmas
We celebrated Christmas first with the Carhart family and a few days later with the Camacho family.
With three babies under 2, Christmas at the Carhart house was chaotic in the best possible way. The cousins got along very well and we got endless laughter and joy from watching their interactions.
One cherished Carhart tradition is getting into our Christmas pajamas and gathering to read The Night Before Christmas as a family. This year was very special, as Opa gathered his three grandchildren on his lap to continue the tradition with the next generation.
We went to bed on Christmas Eve, as visions of sugar plums danced in our heads. When Christams morning came, the kids were giddy to open the presents they received from Mom & Dad, Oma & Opa, and Santa.
When we gathered together with Paul’s family the weekend after Christmas, we got to celebrate all over again, with a house just as full. 7 aunts and uncles, 2 grandparents, and 2 dogs made it easy for Max to find a playmate.
We celebrated our time together with a huge meal, and everyone opened their presents one by one. Max particulary enjoyed playing with his new race track and cars. It was a very special Christmas, and we were grateful to catch up with all of Paul’s siblings and their spouses.
Saying Goodbye
After the holidays were over, we settled into a bit of routine for the remaining two weeks of our stay. We also celebrated Max’s second birthday (a bit early) with KC barbeque, cake, and Max’s favorite meal: noo-noos (noodles) & cheese.
Saying goodbye to everyone was difficult, but we were also happy to get back to our cozy home in Leuven for our last few months abroad.
We are grateful for the wonderful memories this Christmas!
More to come soon…