Winter Travels

We are very blessed to live in a day and age when the world is quite accessible. It used to be that if you wanted to ride on an airplane you would have to contact the airline by telephone to book a flight and then pay for it at the airport. Many people would even hire travel agents to electronically book flights, hotel rooms and vacations. With technology and the internet, we have all become our own travel agents. We can check into a flight on our own computers and even print out our own boarding passes with just a few clicks.

Two tickets to 1972, please!

 

Over the last month Jackson and I have taken advantage of the ease of travel. I especially am grateful that I was able to go home (for the second time in one month!) to welcome home my brother from his mission!

 Welcoming party at the airport

 For the last two years Ben has been serving a mission in Chile - serving the people and the Savior and spreading the news of the gospel. It has been wonderful to see pictures of his jourmey and hear from him every once in a while while he was gone, but as his only other sibling to serve a mission, it was a truly special experience to be there when he returned.

Ben bought this sweet llama jacket for dad in his first area and lugged it around for him for 18 months.

Shortly after its unveiling Ariel took it into custody.

Ben with Cooper - his first time meeting his neice and nephew!

Daisy Mae and I hanging out during family time at the bowling alley.

He came home with the same bashful smile and sincerity, but he also brought home a sweet Chilean accent, a stronger testimony of the Savior, and a suitcase full of Chilean treats. It was remarkable to be with him as he transitioned from being a Elder Britt to being Ben. It is evident that he has left a piece of his heart in Chile and was forever changed by his experiences there.



He's back! Get in line, ladies!!

 



Shortly after my return to NC, Jackson flew to a conference in Texas. The conference was about leadership and community empowerment, and what made this trip special is that he was able to take a former student of his with him on the journey. When he met Jackson two years ago, one of the first things he said was that he wanted to be a pilot. It was his first time on an airplane.

Jackson and Marino on their way to Texas. Yes, that boy is in high school.

 

On the return journey the captain of the plane agreed to have him in the cockpit!

This past week Jackson was able to fly to Connecticut to help his sister, Holly, and her family move. For the past 9 months, the Smiths had been living in Mark Twain's carriage house. While the historical home provided them with tons of space, a huge yard and bragging rights, it also supplied them with tics (which led to lymes disease for one of their kids...), lice (which actually led to some adorable haircuts), and upon their return from Christmas break, a blanket of soot on all of their earthly belongings.

A memorial to the victoms of the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy.

They lived very close to Newtown.. The girls had a church friend who was killed in the shooting.

Jackson was sent up to loan out his guns (metaphorically speaking, of course) and get them settled into a cute new, slightly less stressful, house right on the coast.

Little Sonoma was displaced by Jackson in her bed. This was a comfy alternative.

After the soot insident, the Smiths lived temporarily in Mark Twains actual house!

Jackson and Adam unloading at the recycling center

 



For now, we are both settled safely in North Carolina. While these travels have been memorable, I am content to have us both in the same house for a while!

An Olsen family Sunday afternoon nap