Back to Reality

Charlene and I got home Monday evening.  Our holiday was everything I had hoped for.  Charlene is a super travelling companion.  She really looked after her old Mom.
 
Poland was, for me, the fulfillment of a dream.  For so many years now I wanted to 'walk where my mother walked'.  I wasn't sure we would be able to find the exact address but thanks to a genealogist in Warsaw and the very kind and thoughtful pastor at the church where my mother was christened, it did happen.  I can't begin to explain the emotion I felt when we found the place.  The moment I got out of the car the tears just came.  I could feel my mother's presence.  The people living there now were very very kind.  We visited with them for over an hour.  The pastor knew English and translated for us.  I have some great pictures and have tried posting them but it just doesn't work for me.  Sorry!!  I know I was shown how but I'm way too technologically challenged. 

We were able to touch and read out of books from the 1800's. went to the archives and got some birth and death records and got registered with them. 
Charlene did awesome driving a standard shift and the GPS kept us on track except for when he told us "You have reached your destination" in the middle of a tunnel.  When we said "What?"  He repeated "You have reached your destination."  Too funny!

  We attended church in Warsaw and London.  Temples in Frankfurt, Preston and London, an outstanding fireside in Edinburgh.  I even got to see Buckingham Palace.  We visited with relatives in Germany.  Some I had seen before and some for the first time.  All were great.  However, after Poland, as Charlene said "The rest was gravy." 

Having experienced all of the above, there is still no place like home and being around those I love the most is the best experience in the whole wide world.

Glad to be home,
Love to you all,
Gramma

Baby Neely Blessing

Hey family members, just wanted to give a little Bird update. Things are going well here. Neely is growing super fast and Jacey is tolerating...maybe even beginning to like her a bit. Jon and I have officially begun zombie mode and function on small amounts of sleep at a time. Oh babies!!

I had wanted to do a quick update and let everyone know that we are doing Neely Jane's baby blessing next Sunday. We invite all the family who is able to and wants to come to attend. It will be June 2 at 10 am at the Fort Saskatchewan Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ward. There will be a small lunch after at our house. If you are wanting to come, please let us know so that we can count you for food.

We hope that all is well with you guys and we look forward to hearing and seeing you! Love you lots! The Bird Fam - Jon, Alyson, Jacey and Neely

MOTHER / DAUGHTER HOLIDAY UPDATE!

Hello from the land of the thistle!  We are now in Scotland at Margo & Ian's where they speak a form of english and drive on the wrong side of the road.  In the last couple of weeks we have dined on Polish, Russian, and German cuisine and will sample traditional fish and chips tomorrow. You might not believe it but today Great~Gramma had supper at the Hard Rock Cafe in Edinburgh!  Oh yes, and this morning Ian cooked haggis for breakfast ~ FOR REAL!!! 
The highlight of the trip has been finding the actual place where Emilie Schabert was born and grew up before emmigrating to Canada in 1927 at the age of 19.  The area is very beautiful and flat.  What once were small farms are now acreages with paved roads.  The building of course is gone, having burnt down before the second world war, but the original well is still there.  We were fortunate to see the church where she was christened and received much help from the Pastor there.  Most important was mom got to "walk where her mother walked"!  Poland is a very clean country and the people were kind and helpful!
We also had a nice visit with some relatives in Germany where mom could converse and Charlene would sit very close to her and smile lots!  {Ask us about our escapades at the Frankfurt HAHN airport ...}
Our holiday has been full of "CHURCH"  We attended sunday services in Warsaw in the only building in Poland. Next was the Frankfurt Temple.  This evening we went to a multi-stake fireside in Edinburgh with Tyrell & Fiona Givens.  On Friday we will attend the Preston Temple on our way to the London Temple and then church there on Sunday. 
We feel that our holiday has been a great success and a wonderful mother/daughter experience and are now looking forward to getting home and sleeping in our own beds!  See you all soon!!!  xoxo

A Mom/Gramma/Great Gramma/Auntie Update

Hey family, Grampa asked me to update the family on Gramma and my mom's arrival in Poland. The time difference is 8 hours ahead of our time here. Grampa was fortunate enough to Skype with them this morning (evening their time) and they are doing well. Their rental vehicle is a Peugeot and it is a standard...mom stalled once! She will never hear the end of it, as she claims her driving skills are fab. They have already hit up a few sights and are sure enjoying their time together. I will keep updating when I hear from them or Grampa hears from them. We told them to stay safe and enjoy all they can....regardless of cost....although I am sure both husbands are not saying the same thing hehe Love you all, take care. - Alyson