Home Sweet Home

Finally after a month on the road in Europe I flew back to Nashville yesterday afternoon! I never thought coming home to the chaos of my kids and small apartment would feel so good. The look on my kids faces was remarkable! It is so crazy how your perspective can change about life and the things around you when you have to be away from it for an extended period of time. The way your house smells, the way your laundry detergent smells, the comfort of your own bed and couch, all of those things have been made anew and the frustration I had with them before are a distant memory. I must admit though that I never thought i would feel the way I did when I finally came home. I felt as though I was a stranger, just passing through receiving the hospitality of some generous believers. A month is a long time, and there have been a lot of stresses and fractures that naturally and normally happen to a relationship after that period of time. It felt like a ton of bricks, when I began to process all of these emotions and really think about how I was feeling. Nevertheless, I am grateful that I have a loving family and faithful wife that loves me no matter what! What a blessing!

NICE!!!

I mean come on...does it get any better than this??

London

Beautiful Summerset House in London! One of the funnest shows on the tour by far!! Gorgeous sunset but you can't really tell very well.

Another outside the Rotterdam hotel window.

Mary

Stuttgart, Germany Green Room

Midi

Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Bear with me...

I don't understand why I should have to ask for ice, and ketchup, and more than one napkin....and in some cases PAY for it! The fast food run has been frustrating in deed...I know...I know...I know...stupid North American over eater!

Air Conditioning

I know already before I begin writing how this post will sound in many ears and all that I ask is a little patience and understanding. Mostly I am venting and just need an ear to listen because I know my faults and short cummings already, so I don't need anyone to really recite to me how wrong my snobbish perspective is. Nevertheless, air conditioning must be the single greatest invention aside from electricity itself of course. I have been on tour all through out Europe for the past month and in just about every hotel room I've stayed in there has been no air conditioning. Some evenings that hasn't presented a problem because of the cool air no doubt but on many evenings in countries where daylight is like 20 hours a day, having no air conditioning can be a miserable experience. This morning was one of those days. We arrived in Brighton this morning and after having to wait a couple of hours for our rooms, I walked into what seemed to be an inexplicable sauna as a hotel room. Now I am exaggerating slightly but seriously the hallway felt wonderful cool and then I opened my door and was blasted with hot stale air. Already exhausted from a long nights drive and border crossing and ferry ride, I was desperately needing some sleep but of course could not because it was so hot! Finally, after a couple hours of waiting and waiting, the guest relations manager brought up a portable air conditioner and the whole situation was resolved. There is my happy little story for all to enjoy! I know as an American, I live basically in Disney Land. I mean to the rest of the world, the United States can basically be summed us as Disney Land. I can get whatever I want when I want, and there is reasonably nothing that inhibits me in any way. This is a joke to the rest of the world and I have had the opportunity to really see that this past month. I will post more on this later but right now, I am still a bit amazed that with temperatures on the incline every year there are so many places with out a/c! Why doesn't Bono fight for that now!

Cola in Hungary