Owen's First Trip!

While Roby worked in NY and Nova Scotia for 2 weeks, Owen and I traveled to sunny Houston to visit our cousins Tobi and Joyce. Initially apprehensive about traveling with an infant, I was pleasantly surprised when everything went smoothly. I have to give props to the Airtran Airlines staff members who were so helpful and made the traveling experience an easy/non-stressful one!

We had a wonderful stay with Tobi and Joyce, who absolutely spoiled O with affection and attention (to the point where when he returned home he expected to be held all the time! :) Owen fell asleep on Tobi's shoulder every time he held him. Talk about having a magic touch! Tobi also discovered the newest trick to get O to fall asleep...rattle altoids in their tin. Who knew?! This trick proved most helpful on the way home when the squirmy little one settled down and proceeded to sleep during the whole flight!

While in Houston we: visited our other cousins Tiji and Nancy & their daughter Ashley (it was great to see you!), went on shopping excursions (uh-oh outlets...including Carter's! :), went out to eat A LOT (I have discovered I love Vietnamese noodle dishes), took Owen to church and home group and met their good friends, and spent oodles of quality time together. We even made the four-hour trek up to the big D to visit Shannon and Steve! It was a blast visiting with them and Suzanne and Aron and cool to see their interactions with Owie...I am really happy that they met Owen while he is still a little peanut.

We had a *delightful* time during our stay, and were SO sad to leave everyone...although we were happy to be on our way home to meet up with Roby at the Atlanta airport. Roby had a hard time being away from his son for 2 weeks and was quite relieved to be reunited. (At the start of our trip, when we were on the tram going to our separate terminals on our way to our respective destinations, and it was time for Roby to disembark, Owen would not let go of his finger as he tried to leave...it was almost as if he were telling his Daddy not to go. so sweet.)

Thank you for a rockin' time in Houston Tobi and Joyce, and in Dallas Shannon and Steve! We are looking forward to seeing you *all* again in Houston for our third annual fourth of July festivities! Hmmmm...where should next year's shin-dig be? Colorads maybe? Steve? Shan? volunteers? :)