More Happy Stuff and Pictures from Disney!

It was three weeks ago, when we embarked on our first family R&R from Egypt.  Ah, memories...running, literally, through Heathrow Airport to catch a plan to Philadelphia (and ultimately, Orlando)...only to discover when we were in the depths of security, far beyond the terminal in which we had arrived, that Abby had left her beloved iPad on the plane.  At that moment we had to choose between the iPad and America.  We chose America.

Abby with her iPad - she got it
for her 7th birthday in March.

Poor Abby.  She was heartbroken.  But she took the news like a champ, fessed up to forgetting it in the seat pocket in front of her on the plane.  She didn't cry.  She hardly even sniffled.  I promised her that I would check with the airport and see if anyone had found it and turned it in.  But, honestly, I thought I was just appeasing her.  I never thought she'd see that iPad again.

We got to Orlando and I checked online with the airport.  You'd be shocked to learn how many very expensive (yet critical to family travel missions) electronic devices are found in the airport.  The airport listed no fewer than ten iPads found and turned it.  Could one of those be ours?

Thank you, Apple.  For keeping awesome records of my purchases.  I found the serial code in my Apple account and sent as much info about the iPad as I could.   Serial number.   "Leather-like blue cover."  "Mostly kid games/aps."  "Pictures of her with her baby brother - blond hair, blue eyes, and videos of giggling and silliness."  

Please.  Oh, please oh please oh please.  Let someone have turned it in.  Let someone have taken the time to open it and realize that it belongs to a kid.  Because my baby is really heartbroken.  She FaceTimes with her friends and family with it.  She reads books on it.  She emails me the sweetest emails.  Please oh please oh please.

Three days later.  I got an email from Heathrow!  It was found!  Thank you, dear stranger, for taking the time to turn it in!!!

I filled out info to have it shipped and paid the shipping fees.

When I left for Colorado, it wasn't delivered yet.  I panicked, because recently the US Post Office has changed it's shipping policy on electronics. Now, items with lithium batteries can no longer be shipped to an APO.  If the iPad didn't arrive to my fab in-laws house before we left for Egypt, Abby wouldn't see that iPad for about a year!  

No worries though! Because today when I got home from work, I had this sweet email in my inbox waiting for me from my little Abby:

On Aug 2, 2012, at 5:28 PM, Abz wrote:

I miss you

Sent from my iPad

*My Heart Melts*  Thank you, DHL; Thank you, Apple; Thank you, Heathrow Airport; and especially...Thank you, Kind Stranger.

And now some more R&R pics.  This time from our trip to Disney's Animal Kingdom.  Our favorite Disney Park!

The whole family!

Abby bought this bear with her own money!

Learning about fossils.  (Owen had all the answers!)

He's always been an amazing climber.

Bubs trying his hardest to climb!  I remember about 7 years ago we took
a trip to Disney, and Owen was this age doing the same thing.
This photo really brings back memories.

Explorer Bubs.

Kellen is a little angry here - he wants to keep climbing!

My favorite picture of the day.

Kellen rockin' a Beatles shirt.

Abby's favorite - the elephants (look really closely at the background).

Watching for lions.

Love her toothless grin.