Flights home, and an Epilogue

The trip back home was fairly uneventful. We left the Sheraton Amman in the afternoon and flew out of Jordan through the Queen Alia International Airport. Security there was actually a little tighter than in the US. All of our suitcases were X-rayed before we checked them in, and (oddly) a Jordanian security employee combed through every item in our carry-on bags, and asked us what each item was. This was a little unnerving since even the TSA doesn't do that. I was worried for a minute when he pulled Sean's Army dog tags out of his bag. The employee asked Sean a few questions about them, and why he was in Jordan. Sean explained we were here on vacation with me, and he wasn't here on Army business. After a few minutes, we were free to go. We checked in the bags (fortunately everything was just under the max weight limit!), and we had 2 hours to relax in the airport. We hit the Duty Free store for Jordanian dates and sweets for family and coworkers, and then we found a  café for snacks and drinks. As always, the Jordanian wine and the mezze platter was delicious! This is one culinary thing that the Jordanians do very well!

The flight to Dubai was uneventful, except for me dripping sauce from my meal on my shirt. We had debated about going back into Dubai (via the Metro) for dinner, but since we arrived a little after 10 PM, we decided against it. The security for connections in Dubai was mayhem, almost to the level of that entering Israel. They want to get a lot of people through very quickly, so everything moves really fast! Thankfully, we got through with all of our carry-on items. Again, we found a quiet restaurant for snacks and drinks during the 4 hour layover. Sean was happy to see that they had a big beer, since this was the last beer he would get to drink until he returns home!

Finally, it was 2 AM, and time to say goodbye and for me to board the flight to DFW. I hated this part. PDA is technically illegal in Dubai, so we just had a quick kiss and then I was headed down the escalator to board my plane. Even though he will be home in just over 2 months, it was all I could do to not cry. I'm sure Sean felt the same way!

The flight back was VERY full. I was lucky to have an empty seat between me and the Australian guy in the aisle seat. Fortunately, I was able to sleep pretty well, but this time, it was a 16 hour flight (due to the rotation of the earth) and it got light and dark twice during the trip. We flew over Russia and the north pole, but since it was dark at that point in time, I wasn't able to see anything outside. Finally, dawn broke as we flew over Manitoba, Canada, and it looked really cold outside! I turned my iPhone back on and used the wifi for the last couple of hours of the trip. Sean said he made it back to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait safely, and he had already taken a nap and was finishing his laundry.

We landed at DFW on time at 9:30 AM, and I followed the crowd to the Customs area to claim my bags. My parents were picking me up, and I was very much looking forward to seeing them! For those of you planning to travel internationally, download the Mobile Passport app! I did my Customs declaration on the app, and I was able to walk right through the special area for Mobile Passport with just a quick scan of the QR code receipt! Awesome! After a long wait, my bags finally showed up, and I was walking out into the International Arrivals area. (Oddly enough, it's the same area where I had happily greeted Sean twice during the Welcome Home a Hero ceremonies that DFW held during OIF/OEF.) And there were Mom and Dad! Hooray! I treated them to brunch at Uncle Julio's (YES, Mexican food!) and they dropped me back at the house. Of course, Zeke and Button were very excited to see me, and they spent a lot of time smelling everything in my luggage.

As many people, including myself, have said, this was definitely the "trip of a lifetime." I got to cross three items off the Bucket List: horse races at Meydan, seeing Petra, and the Holy Land. My husband and I had a wonderful time together, and he got to show me what the Middle East is really like. We met wonderful people, ate some awesome food, and shared a lot of laughs! I learned a lot about life in other countries, and I am even more grateful to be an American and to live in Texas! We both say that we are glad to have seen Dubai and Jordan, but Israel has touched our hearts. We both hope to be able to go back there at some point in our lifetimes, and to be able to see more of that amazing country! Readers, if you ever get the chance to go to Israel, DO IT!