Vaya Con Dios

 The morning after our trip, we were excited to be able to invite Olympe, Chloe and Victor to my niece Isabella's baptism.  It was a beautiful morning.  We love Izzy so much, and it was fun to be part of her day, and to see our European friends welcomed so warmly by the entire family.  Thanks, Ryan and Jennie.

This beautiful group was already feeling the impending sadness of Victor's imminent departure.  Boo hoo!!

 The afternoon was a good-bye pool party.  I wish I could post Ruby and Golda's underwater videos that they made.  So much fun!

 One of the first things we introduced Victor to was World's Best Corndogs.  This was his farewell corndog, as well as Olympe's introduction.

 The Ogden Temple open house began on the day before Victor left.  All the tickets were sold out that first day they went on sale, so I reserved Spanish-language tickets.  Good idea!  It was a beautiful night.  The temple is incredibly gorgeous.

After the temple, Scott and I sauntered over to 25th Street with the group to take them to Lucky Slice Pizza.  We had heard there was a surprise guest band giving a concert, and we hit the venue at exactly the right time.  It was Phillip Phillips, and he was wrapping up a two-hour show by singing the anthem "Home."  As it happens, that song was on the Summer CD that Scott compiled for our road trip.  Last summer, cott put together a summer CD that we listened to ad nauseum all across the country.  I still can't listen to it without crying, it takes me back so completely.  Same with this trip.  The CD Scott made immediately brings on memories and feelings from the endless miles of roads from Kaysville to Santa Monica.  Music is powerful.  When we got tired of the CD, and the other album we had, Vampire Weekend, we turned on the radio and listened to mariachi on the Spanish-language radio stations.  The other day, Ruby was feeling nostalgic in the car and asked me to turn on mariachi.  It immediately took us all back to I-15, near Barstow, in the darkening night of the desert.  We all smiled.

Anyway, how perfect is it that the band on Victor's last night was singing one of our songs!?  "...just know you're not alone...I'm gonna make this place your home..."  None of us will ever be able to hear that song without thinking of this night.

 There was a piano outside Lucky Slice that Olympe used to give a little performance.

 Sunday morning, we weren't sure if any of the kids would rally for the breakfast Scott had suggested, but they didn't want to lose any time together.  They were all up and ready to go to Ruth's Diner up Emigration Canyon.  It's been one of our favorites since high school.

 Nobody wanted to miss the airport scene.

 Checking in, Scott assuming the dad role.

 Not only were the girls sad to see Victor go, but he was going to PARIS!  He was to meet his family there for two weeks of vacation.  The Altieris had invited Golda and Ruby to join them, but they couldn't.  It about killed them!

 Finally, we couldn't hold onto the kid any longer.  He thanked Scott and me by saying that his expectations for the trip had been very high, and that the trip had exceeded all of his expectations.  I was touched.  He was very gracious.  Truly, a joy to have around.

 Moments after Victor disappeared, Golda and Ruby were Whatsapping him.  lol

 We went home and had a birthday party for Tricia, which she couldn't attend due to illness.  The rest of us had fun, though, Tricia!  ;)

 During the party, we tracked Victor's flight...

 ...and looked at scrapbooks of my time in Spain, Portugal, Indiana, Utah and points between with various members of the Correa family.

 At last, we got word that Victor had arrived in Paris and was exploring on his own, waiting for his family to arrive.  I asked Juan to let me know when they were all together, and I got this picture early the next morning.  Ah, our "son" was safe with his family.  Hasta la proxima vez, Altieris!  We love you all.