36 hours later...

...we're still in process of heading home...yes, volcanic ash DOES make a difference.  We had our shuttle scheduled to pick us up at 3:45am yesterday morning (Tuesday May 11) in Cambridge to come back home....all was well until midnight the night before, when they changed our flight FOR THE NEXT MORNING due to the ash.  That 's when the fun began.  Our flight had been cancelled and completely rerouted through a DIFFERENT airport in London, and for several hours later.  The shuttle service was closed by that time, and they were supposed to be at our doorstep within 4 hours.  To make an unbelievable saga bearable, let me just hit the highlights at this point:

1.  Six and 1/2 hour flight delay
2.  Two hours sitting on plane on tarmac before taking off
3. Two extra hours in flight.  Because of the volcanic ash, we had to fly over GREENLAND (!!) --an extra 1000 miles--over a safe zone...well, our plane and every other plane from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, etc. who wanted to head this way had to travel the same narrow "safe pass" (hence the two hour wait on the tarmac, waiting for our turn in line.)
4.  Three hours in the airport after landing because we were targeted as an "Agricultural Alert", and we thus were sent where they send the likes of live farm animals entering the country and contaminated soil samples.  Oh dear.
5.  Redirected (WITH OUR 23 PIECES OF LUGGAGE!!) incorrectly to the line of folks who wanted to keep their luggage with them overnight.  Tried to check it in and were told they were closed for the night (it was then close to midnight).
6.  4 hours sleeping at hotel.
7.  Item left inadvertantly on shuttle.  Di and boys on retrieval committee.  All Di's ID with Brad and Tori --(OOPS)....CHAOS ensues with plane leaving at 7:30am.  Now 7:12am.
8.  3 fervent prayers and buckets of swet later, Di and boys run like crazy people thru airport and jump onto plane as it is leaving the ground...
9.  Person to pick us up in Nashville cannot pick us up at new time.  Brad calling everyone we know--and some people we don't--to find lucky winner.
10.  Wait...I think Joey Jenkins may have just won...

We are now in Nashville (almost home!), and over 36 hours--and counting-- from when our journey home began...WHEW!! We should be home soon!