My Baby (and my Mom!) are off to Europe!!

Well, it's official ... McKenna and Mom are on an airplane "as we speak" (or "as I write") heading to London. Well, actually... first they're heading to Memphis, then Detroit, then New York City (with a three-hour layover) and then to London and immediately to Paris.

They have got a whirlwind trip planned and I am SO excited for them. (And, a tad bit jealous too...well, A LOT jealous...but also thrilled that they're both getting to go!)

McKenna is going along with four other members of her church youth group, as part of an amazing oganization called Student Leadership University. She has gone to the first two sessions of SLU in Orlando and then last year in Washington D.C. It's an organization that really teaches leadership skills, and it has profoundly affected McKenna. This year, Mom got the itch to go with her and I'm so glad that she'll be there to experience it with McKenna.

We were up at 4 AM and left for the airport at 5. They flew out at 6:30.

Here's a pic of the whole crew at the airport, before it was even daylight!


This is their schedule for the week. Some exciting stuff!!

	Day 1: Depart from JFK on your overnight flight to London
	Day Two: Board your private coach for a whirlwind introduction to London by way of Buckingham Palace. Stroll through the mammoth Tower of London to see torture chambers and the Crown Jewels, be amazed by stories told by costumed Beefeaters. Climb the 500+ steps to the breath-taking view of London from atop St. Paul's Cathedral, and enjoy lunch at an authentic Medieval Banquet House. We make our way now to beautiful Paris, France via the Eurostar which takes us under the English Channel (known at the Chunnel).
	Day 3: Start the morning with Session I: Leadership Summit. Our private SLU guides will lead us through Paris to explore The Louvre Museum. From there, be amazed at the sculptures of Rodin's Gardens, and visit Notre Dame Cathedral. Don't worry we'll have plenty of time for shopping. Then, on to Hard Rock Paris for dinner.
	Day 4: Session II: Leadership Summit leads the way for an incredible trip into history as we drive through the French countryside to arrive at Normandy. Our historian will lead us through the memories of WWII as we visit the bunkers at Point Du-Hoc and Omaha Beach where our courageous soldiers paid a precious price for freedom. Be prepared for a moving time of prayer and commitment at an SLU wreath-laying ceremony at the U.S. cemetery. We stop for dinner before heading on board the Ferry to cross the English Channel on an overnight trip. This is an adventure in itself!
	Day 5: Forget about rest! We have a power-packed day ahead. Still to come - The Cabinet War Rooms, Churchill Museum, Westminster Abbey, and The British Museum and, of course, lunch at Hard Rock London. Take your vitamins- the night is young! Dine at Piccadilly Circus before we experience the incomparable Les Miserable at the Queens Theatre.
	Day 6: Can it get any better? Oh, yes it can! Today is a full day in the town of Oxford. Walk along the path where C. S. Lewis and Tolkien spoke of the Scriptures and held each other accountable to their dreams and goals. Spend the afternoon wandering the streets of Oxford for shopping and hanging with the locals. SLU will hold our Session III: Leadership Summit at the Sheldonian Theatre. Erected in 1664-8 to a design by Sir Christopher Wren, the Theatre at the University of Oxford is used today for college functions, including graduation ceremonies. Time permitting, take an optional trip on the River Thames to cap off the day. We complete this exhilarating day with leisure time in the quaint town of Windsor, just outside the castle gates.
	Day 7: We saved the best for last! The beauty and splendor of Windsor Castle, the largest occupied castle in the world; a Royal home and fortress for over 900 years; and currently an official residence of the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, must be experienced rather than visited, and we do that in the grand SLU style.
	Day 8: Exhausted, but transformed, we board our flight home.

Pray that they'll stay safe...stay healthy and strong (my Mom has some health issues, so I'm just praying that she'll do well)... and have a great time!!