Louisiana Sandusky and her husband, Bill, have returned home from Greece; they went to Greece for a friend's wedding, and they had a wonderful time.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005~

I am now back home, in the good old U.S. of A., back home in my beloved Nashville, Tennessee. We ("we" meaning my husband, Bill, and myself) have just returned from a week's vacation in Athens, Greece, where we went to a friend's wedding, and we are both very tired, but we are so happy to be home at last. We just stepped off the airplane, and we are now in the airport terminal, awaiting our baggage. The porters have been very kind, assisting both my husband and myself (we are both physically disabled), and they are bending over backwards to make sure that we have everything we need.

The wedding was absolutely beautiful; and of course, during the ceremony (it was done in Greek, but they had a translator there, so we could know what was going on), I cried like a big boob; and my husband had tears sparkling in his eyes. Sari looked resplendent in her wedding dress, and Nikolas looked dashing in a powder blue tux combo, his dark locks of hair spilling over his shoulders, and the blueness of the tux emphasizing his dark Grecian tan. Sari was fighting a very bad case of the nerves (she was on the verge of tears), but Nikolas was calm, cool, and collected during the entire ceremony. Over five hundred people came to the wedding; it was a grand affair, and we got to meet many of Nikolas' friends (and family; he has many cousins, plus his sister, Athena, had flown in from Nashville, Tennessee, so she could act as maid of honor in her brother's wedding). The ceremony was very moving, but all went well, and during the reception, the Greek people went overboard to show her visitors some authentic Greek hospitality, and they made sure that we were all very well fed and cared for. Some of the customs (such as the breaking of plates by the guests, as a way of wishing good luck to the bride and groom) were decidedly foreign, but they had a charm that made us smile. The people got everyone on the dance floor, and there was much hollering and whooping going on; and the ouzo (Greek beer) and wine were flowing freely. I even got some Ouzo (got violently sick later on, and the next day, I was nursing a hangover to end all hangovers; I don't drink), and I was sick for over a day, regretting my decision in drinking.

Nikolas and Sari were the hit of the show, and everyone said how beautiful Sari looked and how handsome Nikolas was, and Sari was enjoying the attention being lavished on them. They got many nice things during the reception (kitchen ware, a HOUSE--Nikolas' grandfather got them a condo right on the beachfront, near the Mediterranean Sea!--, tools for the house, furniture, scads of money, even a BOAT and a CAR!), and Sari couldn't believe the love that was flowing. She was in tears just about the whole time, and Nikolas was in shock; but he was beyond happy; this was the girl of his dreams that he was marrying, and now his dreams were starting to fall into place.

During our week in Greece, Sari and Nikolas took us shopping, and we got the kids some books about Greece, some shirts, some toys, and some other souvenirs that I KNOW that they will enjoy. It will be so nice to get back home; both Bill and I have missed the children terribly, and I can't wait to wrap my arms around every one of them and lavish their young faces with kisses! I also know my Pomeranian, "Cajun Gold" (as well as the other animals) have been missing us, so there will be animals jumping around and going crazy, in addition to a bunch of overexcited, screaming, yelling kids!

I also am wondering about my email: I wonder if anyone has written to me, and just how full my email account is. I guess I will just have to see when I get back to my computer. I also have to stop in at work sometime later today (or tomorrow), so I can get my check for the week, and see how things have been going at the hospital during my absence. Hopefully, the hospital is still standing, and hopefully, the hospital hasn't been inundated with an influx of patients!

I am so glad to be home! While I am sad that vacation has come to an end, it WAS nice to get away from the children (even if only for a week), and it was nice to see a part of the world that most people dream about of seeing! So on that note, An dee oh, Greece, and Ya sou, America!

~Love, your (world travelin') friend, Louisiana Sandusky. :)