Four countries, three flights, two kids, one crazy adventure!

We made it! For any of you who ever flew with a baby or preschooler (or both like us), know the rush of relief and accomplishment when surviving a long flight. Yesterday we left our home and started the adventure. We tried out Air Canada this trip, which meant a layover in Vancouver and one more country to our journey. We had another layover in Narita (Tokyo) and then flew to Taipei. We will be in Taiwan for three days for a family celebration before heading back to Japan.

Despite the joys of traveling, I usually fill with anxiety about all the chaos of traveling with young children. Will they have a tantrum mid-flight? Jump over seats? Lay down on a moving walkway and refuse to get up? Throw food or toys at disgruntled travelers? Will I forget some crucial supply? Once I forgot spare diapers for an eight hour flight! Oh the creativity invoked when you run out of diapers in a confined space. I raided the plane bathroom for paper towels and feminine products to produce a “handmade” diaper. It can be done! All of this and more have happened. And I’m still traveling.

But I forget to focus on the joy and live in the moment. My boys surprise me each time. While challenges arise and their independence asserted at inconvenient times, they make the mundane suddenly joyful. They transform the routine into whimsy and wonder. While I panic about lugging baby gear and an unwilling toddler through terminals, my son’s face lights up at the moving walkway. He stops and gushes with joy. He can stand still and still move! He can watch a whirlwind of people from around the world. He actually looks at the airport artwork! He even makes a grumpy flight attendant light up and a disgruntled passenger laugh. My boys force me to slow down and take in the moment fully. Thank you.

And now we are off to explore Taiwan! Here is a hot of our current town.