SATURDAY - THE LAST DAY!

This was a bittersweet day. Earlier in the week (like the first and second day) we really really missed our kids. Then as the trip went on we really started enjoying ourselves. Then Friday we really started getting sad because our trip was going to end and yes, Saturday was very sad. We could have stayed longer but we were at least happy that if it was going to end, at least we could see our kids.

We booked a really late flight on Saturday because we didn't want to miss it, we didn't realize they let you off the boat according to your flight so we had a while to go. It turned out to be nice in the end though because we went to a restaurant for the first time and had a nice quiet, sit down breakfast.

We were sad to finally get off the boat and when we got to the airport we found a spot to sit and settled in and got comfy since we had a few hours till our plane left. We looked at pictures from the trip, laughed at our lunches we brought with us off the boat (thanks to room service the night before and some handy zip lock baggies), read some books, etc.

Just for kicks one day on the boat we took our heart rate, mine was 70 and Jared's was 72. Then when we were in line at the airport to check our luggage in we checked them again and mine was 83 and Jared's was 90, I guess our relaxation was over.

There were so many small and simple things I loved about the cruise for the 2 of us. I loved how it brought us closer together and made us feel like we were young and newly dating again. I loved the cuddling anywhere we wanted to and the hand holding for no reason and not just the obligatory Temple session hand holding. I loved the random kisses for no reason at all. I loved that one night when were waiting for a show to start I told Jared how no one had complimented my toes that I had gotten done for the cruise and that night he kept trying to figure out a way to get me to leave so he could ask the girls behind us to compliment my pedicure. At first I was so nervous about not having a phone that would work on the ship without having to pay the international fees and that we didn't have access to email either. On Wednesday we turned our phones on and called home to make sure everything was OK and after we got word that everything was great, we shut it back off again - I really enjoyed having no contact with the outside (now that it is over and everything was fine). We didn't get distracted by text messages from family and friends, or have to worry about making sure we called before the kids went to bed to say good night, it was just the 2 of us and no one was around to interrupt that, it was amazing.

Our screen saver on the computer is random pictures of the family that changes every few seconds and the boys would all sit around the computer and watch the pictures and when our pictures would come up Eli would say to the twins, "its OK, they are on a boat!"

When we got home I couldn't wait to go in the house and see my kids. I had this picture in my head, Emma would play it cool and come and give me a big hug and smile, Eli would run up to us, Tyler would run up to us and Tyson would have his thumb in his mouth holding on to his lovey and come up to us slowly and give us a hug. I got it all wrong. Emma came running up and gave us a huge hug, kiss and smile and even jumped up on us. Eli waited a few minutes and then ran up and hugged us and the twins, well, they turned around and looked at us, smiled but then ran to Grandma Jensen and Grandma and Grandpa Rodgers. I am pretty sure we ticked them off by leaving.

Its been a week now since we got back. Jared and I have tried to keep that "cruise spark" alive. It seems like forever ago that we went. The twins have forgiven us and let us hold them now and love on us. All is well and we look forward to the next one.