Passports, please!

Joe's orders FINALLY came through after over three weeks of waiting, and we were prepped and ready for their arrival.  We got word that they were done at 10:30am on Tuesday, December 11th, and had tickets booked, bags loaded, and car packed by 11pm that night.  30 minutes later we were south-bound on I-35 for DFW airport where our journey to Osan would begin.
In an example of precision driving, we traveled through the night, arriving at the airport just in time to check our bags, clear security and board the plane to Seattle.

We spent the rest of Wednesday romping around Seattle, dodging flying fish in Pikes Place Market, and visiting with family in the area. (Don't let anyone ever tell you that a travel day is a wasted day!)
The kids had a hard time falling asleep that night as the anticipation of the Osan adventure began to rise.  This experience that we had been talking about and preparing for almost 6 months was finally on the horizon and we were all giddy with excitement!

 Thursday morning dawned moist and misty (standard for the Pacific Northwest!), but there was a collective spring in our step as we loaded the bags into the van (AGAIN!), ate more than our share at the hotel breakfast buffet, and set our sights on the SEA-TAC airport.

We checked 13 bags, carried on 4 full size blankets (the kids were convinced that they would get cold at 35,000 ft), and eagerly clasped 7 passports as we boarded the 777 bound for Incheon Airport, South Korea.  I was a little leery about the prospect of 13 hours spent airborne-- the longest that the kids or I have spent on an airplane-- because I wasn't sure if my bag of tricks would have that kind of endurance.    I needed not worry: in this modern day and techie age, EVERY SEAT comes equipped with a personal entertainment system.  That means that the kids plugged in for non-stop movie watching and game playing as soon as we reached cruising altitude.

Now, normally, I would be vehemently opposed to this obscene amount of electronic entertainment.  But, it did give me a chance to catch up on my movie list, AND it kept the dreaded "I'm boooored" from being uttered. Yes! That's right! We went 13 hours straight suspended high above the earth without one single complaint about being bored! This mama counts that as a major victory!
They paused the movies (briefly) when meals, snacks, and drinks were served.  Surprisingly, they meals (chicken, beef or a Korea option) were well received and eaten without grumbling.  Seth chose the Korean option without even being prompted and turned to tell me--with a big grin on his face (and some relief in his eyes)-- that the seaweed soup was actually delicious! The novelty of being able to order whatever they wanted from the beverage cart (AND get the whole can!) never wore off, and I'm pretty sure they felt like this airplane experience put them almost on the same level of royalty with all of the service they received!
Touch down at Incheon was smooth, and clearing customs was a piece of cake, and then, suddenly, we were "home". The visa in the back of our passports is a beautiful sight, and as foreign as our surroundings are, being here together-- FINALLY-- is so comfortable.