Our bags are packed, we're ready to go....

So our bags are packed and we're ready to go....Hopefully none of our bags are overweight or we'll have to do some repacking at the airport.  Robert has weighed each of them multiple times with 2 different luggage scales, our digital scale with the suitcase sitting on it as well as on our digital scale with him holding it and then subtracting his weight.  According to all of his calculations, they are close to the maximum but should just make it.  We'll all be crossing our fingers that the airport scales are calibrated similarly!

Although it seems like we've been waiting forever, it's hard to believe that in less than 24 hours, we will be boarding the first of 3 flights and be on our way to the Philippines.  The journey will be l-o-n-g as we keep stressing to the kids; our friends all say OUR angelic kids will be fine but they'd never even think to try to embark on such a trip with their children.  I'm hopeful and keep telling myself that our kids are really good in public, but 23 hours is a long time to keep it together.  I'm not even sure I can do it any more and I'm a few years older than 7 or 4...

The first flight will be quick and the airport layovers are fairly short.  The flight from Toronto to Tokyo, however, is 13 hours - much longer than the car ride to Uncle Chris' house.  Then, of course, is the other 5 hours to Manila.  23 hours of travel time; that's 1, 380 minutes and a whole lot of "Are we there yet?"s.  And we can't forget the other 1-2 hours by car to Robert's house from the airport, depending on the traffic.

The light at the end of the tunnel, however, will be spending time with Robert's family, learning more about their Filipino culture and heritage, and just enjoying the heat and sunshine of the beautiful country.