Our first morning home has greeted me with bright and happy sunshine, excessive heat, and the harsh sounds of the four-lane highway down the road from our home, replacing the tranquil morning music of the Irish countryside and I miss it already. My thoughts are a jumbled mess as I am exhausted from the journey and overwhelmed with sadness about leaving a place that felt like home moments after our arrival. There are positives of being home; seeing friends and family we have missed during our time away, picking up our dog who I am afraid must feel abandoned, and all the remaining joys of summer in Michigan which, as any Michigander knows, will end all too soon and give way to the cold and bleak grey skies of winter. There is much joy here, and I need to remember to celebrate that as well.

Yesterday began in the wee small hours of the morning around half past three. We loaded up our small rental car, took final pictures of the cottage, checked and rechecked to make sure we had not forgotten anything and journeyed to the airport in Cork. The ride was a quiet one with very few cars seen along the way. We talked about all the things we would miss, an extensive list to be sure, and lamented not being able to say goodbye to our cow friends. With more than a few tears from me we flew to London, with Ellery waving goodbye from the airplane windows, for breakfast at the airport and catch our connecting flight to Chicago. This time, as there were no problems with delayed flights and missed connections, we flew in premium economy, and everyone was extraordinarily grateful for the extra legroom. Audra’s tv screen worked this time, so she enjoyed an array of movies on the long flight as did Ellery and Kevin, and I reclined under a blanket with a book. We enjoyed a couple of short cat naps and eventually landed at O’Hare International to begin the two-hour long process of navigating through customs, security and shuttle buses to get to our terminal for the final flight into Detroit. We had a quick bite to eat and relaxed at our gate till it was time to board. Our flight to Detroit included a neat surprise as I realized that the gentleman sitting in the seat in front of me was Frankie Muniz who played the title character in the Fox sitcom, Malcolm in the Middle. I debated asking for a photo with him but in the end, decided to leave it be. The thrill of discovering he was seated in front of me was enough.

Upon arriving in Detroit, we were met with hugs and smiles from my brother, Klayton, who was kind enough to drive us to the airport when we left, keep our car safe while we were away, and pick us up from the airport on the return journey. After collecting our checked bags, we regaled him with stories of our adventures as he drove us to his place where we said goodbyes and the four of us continued to Midland. After a 27-hour non-stop journey home, bouncing between cars, planes and shuttle buses, we arrived, unloaded our bags from the Traverse, and fell into bed around half past one, exhausted. In all honesty, I do not remember much of our arrival home, nor going to sleep but since I woke in my own bed, I must have been, at least moderately, conscious. Kevin woke around five and I followed a few hours later at eight. It would have been easy to fall back into the old, normal morning routine of everyday life at home; curling up on the couch and staring into space until I felt human again after too little sleep. Instead, both Kevin and I decided to hold onto Ireland for just a little while longer and unpacked our gifts for friends and families, sharing memories from the trip as we unpacked and repacked the small trinkets and treasures into gift bags. It is going to take me some time to adjust to life back here at home but there are so many memories made in the last few weeks to carry me through a lifetime.

I have asked everyone multiple times as to what their favorite part of our adventure was. Audra is the only one with a definitive answer. Our trip to Dublin, despite not exploring a good chunk of it, was the highlight of her Irish experience. She cannot wait to plan her return to the city, and I hope that her time spent there will encourage her to work hard to get where she would like to go. Be it Dublin or somewhere else that sparks her fancy. For the rest of us, there were a lot of highlights, and it is almost impossible to choose just one. The general consensus being the entire experience as a whole. From the incredible foods, the charm of the countryside, the celebrated history of the country and meticulous preservation of it, to the magnificent views from the mountains, cliffs, and out our cottage windows at the field of cows that lingered there. Someday, we will go back; of this, I am sure. Until then, I have luggage to unpack, laundry to put away, our remaining summer activities to look forward to, and a host of memories made to cherish and reflect on, but only after I finish my cup of tea.