Our Last Day; Revealing a Gift

Monday was it—the last day.  There were a lot of emotions involved.  Most of all, we were worried for the girls.  The transition to having oodles of family arrive was one thing—a very joyous thing.  Having the entire gang suddenly leave the next morning was something we wanted to handle in the best way possible.  Like everything else in parenting, there was a very delicate balance to this.  Audrey, in particular, has formed a very strong bond with her Emma.  From the outside, it's nothing overt, but more in the way she always wants to be at her side, holding hands, sitting next to her on the train or being picked up by her Aunt when her legs got too tired.  Emily also was bunking in the same bed as Audrey this visit and I think the comfort of waking up to find her there in the night was a really big thing for my sweet Audrey girl.  It was something that brought both John and I to tears during this visit, how much affection our shy girl was showing.  An outsider would never be able to tell how absolutely fierce and vulnerable this girl is with her love. 

Much like the great consideration we took with informing the girls of their family’s arrival, a lot of thought went into how to tell the girls this was their last day with family.  We came at it from a place of joy, asking the girls where they wanted to take everyone on their last day and of course, we ended up at the park (Audrey’s choice) and a trip to Bailey’s river (also known by some people as the Danube).  Surprisingly, in all our bumming around town, we hadn’t yet made it east of the river, where the Danube Island, the UN complex and Donau Park are.  So, this morning we took the same route Audrey and John take every day to work/school.  Only, we hopped off the train one stop early to walk along the bridge over part of the Danube, where there was much exclamation about fish from The Bear.  Eventually, we made it back on the train and took the long walk through Donau City to Donau Park.  This place really is massive and the playground is just far enough in that the girls predictably break down in the same place every time wondering: “When are we getting to the playground?!?!  It’s taking soooo loooooong!”. 

Yet, they are always more than satisfied with the incredible play structures once we eventually make it to our destination.  Today was one of my favorite visits to this park—and not just because some of my favorite people were with me, but Audrey was just so much more engaged than usual.  My girl was climbing up ladders, across bridges and balance beams and went down so many slides I couldn’t possibly count.  It was just such a lovely day at the park—the stuff of dreams.  And after all that—all the playing and running and climbing and gawking at the ducks in the pond, we headed back towards the city center for one last cup of cocoa together. 

Something else chocolatey delicious from The Demel

As far as every cup of hot chocolate I’ve had in my life goes, The Demel trumps them all.  And I can’t imagine what it’s like to have had it and then be forced to adjourn to a land where there is only inferior cocoa.  For details on that, feel free to contact my mother…all the same, there was no way we were passing up the opportunity to have just one more cup before everyone had to go home.  This time we did NOT have my favorite waitress—far from it—but if anything can be forgiven a person, then it’s most likely to happen while at The Demel.  So, we had our hot chocolate and cake too before finally heading home for the day. 

Dinner at Wieden Brau

Since the house elves I had requested for my family’s visit never arrived, we decided to eat out that last night.  No one should be worried about doing the dishes when there are sweet snuggles to be savored.  So, we headed across the street to Wieden Brau where we had possibly the best service we’ve experienced yet in Vienna.  Our waiter actually checked in after we got our food to make sure everything was fine and John was asked for the first time here if he’d like another beer…and shock of all shocks, the answer was no.  All and all, an excellent way to round out any visit to this fine city. 

We reluctantly headed home where there were suitcases to be packed and tickle fights to be had.  Even though I had promised Audrey a hundred times that I would wake her up before everyone left, she made me promise at least ten more times…and then made sure Emma would hold me responsible for it.  Even though we’d be waking the girls at an obscene hour, we still found ourselves reluctant to let them go to bed too soon.  There were lots of hugs and kisses and hilarious self portraits, but eventually it was time—time for the littles to go to bed and time for me to start making sandwiches for everyone to take with them...because if there’s one thing I know it’s that I will be trying to make sure perfectly healthy people don’t starve to death until my dying day.

We woke up early the next morning.  Too early.  But there was coffee to be made.  And I had to make sure Audrey had at least 45 minutes to adjust to being awake and saying goodbye.  It all happened so quickly…and so sleepily.  One minute they were all there and the next there was a cab on the street…they were out the door and we were leaning out the window, waving and wiping tears from our eyes as the taxi vanished around the corner.  And then there was silence. 

At first it was almost crushing.  But you know what?  We were still there.  In the silence there was still that precious thing that had been growing and forming into something beloved.  We have each other.  And we all know who’s at the center of us—He was holding us there…just as He was holding everyone in that cab on the way to the airport.  He holds our hearts together, like we never would be able to ourselves…now my soul whispers: Thank you. 

What a gift.  It took two whole weeks to unwrap and it’ll last the rest of our lives.