{"id":697,"date":"2014-10-22T14:38:45","date_gmt":"2014-10-22T14:38:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.garrard.com.au\/usa\/?p=697"},"modified":"2015-02-23T22:21:02","modified_gmt":"2015-02-23T22:21:02","slug":"i-still-call-australia-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.garrard.com.au\/usa\/uncategorized\/i-still-call-australia-home\/","title":{"rendered":"I Still Call Australia Home"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Well, the trip had to come to an end eventually. We got to spend six wonderfully satisfying weeks away, five of which we spent\u00a0with Steve and Brenna and the babies, which were\u00a0incredibly precious. \u00a0Four of which we also got to spend with Tylie, our Chrysler Town and Country\/moving fortress\/home away from home. \u00a0It’s funny how you can get attached to inanimate things. \u00a0She was super comfy and just ate up the miles on our trek around the US west coast. \u00a0Laugh USA was one of things we associated with Tylie, as we found ourselves listening to it regularly\u00a0on the radio as we drove. \u00a0It was with great reluctance that we bid farewell to Tylie at LAX before we flew home.<\/p><\/div>\n

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And while, theme parks aside, we weren’t particularly impressed with LA, we did really enjoy one particular pizza place\u00a0in Hacienda Heights. \u00a0Pizza Co had super-delicous pizzas in a family sports bar (?!) kind of environment. \u00a0The people were really nice, and the\u00a0pizzas were he-yuge.\u00a0The games\u00a0arcade in the shop kept the kids occupied, and their accents ensured they went home with extra prizes. \u00a0(And no, this wasn’t a paid presentation – but you should go there \ud83d\ude42 \u00a0)<\/p><\/div>\n

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After restoring our holiday home to its original glory, all that remained between us and our flight home were several hours. \u00a0We passed a couple of them\u00a0in a quaint old movie theatre in Whittier (it even had an old-fashioned box office!), watching ‘Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day’, which turned out to be better than expected. \u00a0We also visited the iconic Randy’s Donuts on the way to the airport.<\/p><\/div>\n

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They were incredibly delicious – and cheap. \u00a0I went with a bear claw (huge) and only just made my way through it. \u00a0The rest of the family, however, easily achieved a round two.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Such a bitter-sweet feeling, heading home. \u00a0Lamenting the distance that was about to come between us and the Mays again, but so looking forward to the crisp air (after LA!!), clean colours, and dear family\u00a0and friends of home.<\/p><\/div>\n

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On the flight home, Andy and Erin were called upon by the flight attendants to hand out lollies to the whole plane. \u00a0This they did, and were rewarded with an announcement over the PA, and a plane-wide round of applause. \u00a0That was fun. \u00a0Totally made up for the fact that\u00a0one particular child (who shall remain nameless), left items on the plane FOR THE SECOND TIME, that we had to race back and retrieve.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Oh, this felt good. \u00a0I love Australia.<\/p><\/div>\n

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And we’ve come the full circle. \u00a0Mum and Dad, who were there to see us off, were there to welcome us home. \u00a0Thank you, God, for the privilege of taking our family overseas, for making it all possible, for watching over all that we got to see and do, for every moment we spent with Steve and Brenna and the children, and for bringing us safely home. \u00a0Amen.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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