Walking to nearby Birmingham Airport from our hotel at 3:30 in the morning, we were surprised to see how busy the place was. We soon learned why so many came then—they knew by reputation how long security would take to examine carry-on luggage. One of my two bags was sent through scanning twice. Perhaps the special coffee for my sister-in-law and my sugar face scrub triggered something?

In any case, we arrived at our gate early enough, but the flight itself was delayed an hour because a flight attendant seat needed repair. Then upon arrival in Frankfurt, we experienced delays waiting for an open gate, going through customs, and standing almost an hour in a car rental queue!

Lots of road construction and several car crashes slowed our progress, but thankfully, we arrived tired yet happy to be at my brother’s house in Ebermannstadt, a modest Franconian region village in the state of Bavaria. We met the groom as well as our great-niece and nephew for the first time, and hugged our three nieces—and another niece with her husband, as well as my brother and sister-in-law.

Tomorrow is Arwen and Ali’s wedding day!