We're baaaaaack

Hello from LA! Yes, we've made it back into the States with no trouble at all. Amazing right? We had smooth flights from Tongatapu to Fiji and then from Fiji to here. We're all very thankful.
So our last 4 days in Tonga were very nice. We finished up buying our presents from the market and spent as much time with the family as we could. Those last 4 days I felt like I was home. We finally got used to the Tongan lifestyle, and we had to leave.
Our last Sunday there we went to our Aunt Taufa's church. It's a big, beautiful Catholic church right downtown. Sinai, Christian, Heikoti, Valamotu, Sione, and Akoli came with us. Beautiful singing as usual! After church we went back home and ate lunch from the 'umu, the underground oven. When we were done eating my cousin Petesa cut my brother Petesa's hair for him. Now he really looks like a Tongan guy = )
Uncle Pila took Sinai, Motu, and the four of us to Laulea beach after lunch. We have a great picture that Mom took of Sarah on that beach 24 years ago. Our cousin Akram in America made a beautiful painting of that picture that Mom has hanging in her room now. So we swam at the beach for a little bit, and then I tried to recreate the picture of Sarah. The background is pretty different now though because of storms that tore up the beach. BUT we still got great pictures of her, and we got to see the beach that they went to with Mom. It was a really nice afternoon.
We went back home and hung out with the family all evening after the beach. Monday after visiting the market and getting New Zealand ice cream for the last time we went to the family and spent the whole day with them. We talked and played cards and ate for most of the day. When it got dark we lit a little candle and put it on the mat outside, and all the little kids came and sat around it like a campfire. We sat with them for a long time playing and laughing. It was really very sad even though I was having a ball playing with them. It was awful thinking that this is the last night I will spend with these kids until who knows when. Sarah, Tesa, Dad, Litiana, and I walked out on to the road and looked at the stars for a little while before we left to pack our bags. Taufa gave us two beautiful presents for Mom and Grandma Jackie before we left from Grandma Osi. I won't say what they are now because they're a surprise! Sinai came back to the hotel with us to help us pack, and she stayed the night.
Tuesday morning we were out of the hotel by 6am. Pila picked us up and took us back home to say our goodbyes. Taufa made us all my FAVORITE meal of barbecued chicken with homemade tartar sauce and rice for breakfast. It was a pretty somber meal because we were all so sad to be leaving. One by one everyone woke up and came out to say their goodbyes until almost everybody was outside to see us off. It was the saddest moment of my life. We all had a good cry until Taufa got us all loaded into the truck and on our way to the airport. Driving away as they waved goodbye was heartbreaking.
Taufa, Sinai, and Pila came to the airport with us to see us off. We had to move some stuff around because the bags were too heavy, but other than that we got through to the gate very smoothly. We said goodbye to Taufa, Sinai, and Pila, and Sinai promised she will come visit us!
After 12 hours in the Fiji airport and 10 hours on a plane we are in LA. It's bittersweet to be home again because there's so many loved ones here, but we left so many behind too. Now we are just relaxing in the hotel waiting for Bernie to come get us again. It feels like so long ago that we were here waiting for Bernie the first time.
I hope to get all the pictures up from 'Eua, Vava'u, and the rest of our adventures tonight. Sorry I haven't been able to keep up with it!
We miss you and love you so much Tongan family. You've all changed our lives. We will call as soon as we get back in West Virginia.
Can't wait to see all our family and friends here in America though! Thank you for following the blog, and I hope it's been a good look into our wonderful trip. We will see you all soon = )

Love,
Maria