We basically hit survival mode on Friday. I managed to get everyone out of the house in one piece and get myself to work. Although when I got there, I just wanted to turn right around and go home. Work sucked....just a CRAP day all around for so many reasons! The one good point is that I managed to get my proposal in on time, I'm still not entirely sure how I pulled that off. Everyone at work seemed to be struggling with something, and my emotional bank was overdrawn so I was no help in lifting anyone's spirits!
To top it off, the weather was miserable on the way home, but the kids thoroughly enjoyed being drenched!
Kellen enjoying the weather at E's house!
I was thankful to get home with my rugrats, and I was looking forward to my parents coming in late Friday night.
Patrick meanwhile was roaming the streets of Paris on his trek home! He didn't get to see a whole lot since it was dark, but he went to the mandatory places and then they were back in their hotel (right next to the airport). I said goodnight to him and then waited for my parents. What a relief to have reinforcements. Of course the kids were already in bed, but just having back-ups was enough reassurance.
I COULD NOT sleep that night. I knew that Patrick's flight was set to take off at 10am Paris time, so I never slept. I had gotten a text that they were headed to the airport, but I needed to see that little plane on the flight tracker LEAVE France and start heading to Texas : ) I waited a bit and thought he must be at his gate ready to go, so I called him. I also knew that Houston weather was predicted to be TERRIBLE that day, so I wasn't at all surprised when he said...
"Honey, we're getting in at 6pm instead of 2pm."
I of course thought it was the weather already causing problems, but then he said "We missed our flight."
"WHAT????????????????????????????????????????????????????"
Apparently they were dropped off at the wrong terminal, the train took too long, and then they missed the 1hr international flight cutoff by minutes. This has only reaffirmed my general dislike of France.
There's only one direct flight to Houston a day, but apparently the United people were helpful and got them on a flight to Chicago with a connection to Houston...thus the change from 2pm to 6pm arrival. Let me just say that there was much stress and much nagging about not missing the connection, etc. I just wanted him home more than I could possibly express, and a weather delay I could have handled much better than something as stupid as being dropped off at the wrong terminal. I blame the shuttle driver, but still, neurotic as I am, had I been there, I would have known it was the wrong terminal (right ladies?).
So finally they're on the plane and it's taking off (only about an hour after the original flight was to depart), so I'm still up (it's like 4am at this point I believe) waiting for the little plane to start moving across the ocean on my flight tracker on my Iphone...and waiting....and waiting...and waiting....
Notice this says 10am Eastern...9am central...I still haven't slept...because I'm waiting on this plane to MOVE!!!!!!!!!! The rain in Houston started about the time I started panicking that the plane wasn't moving (around 5am). Larkin came in my bedroom shortly after that...neither of us slept. We got up, had breakfast, ran errands...plane still not moving.
So it's at this point that you start wondering. If the plane is lost, what does the little flight tracker do? If it crashes, it's not like they put little flames on the plane so you know, right? Do they not realize that I've noticed that the plane is STILL sitting in the hellhole that is the Paris airport? My fears range from a ground delay in Paris to the irrational fear that the plane has gone down...
I was in the checkout line at Hobby Lobby when it finally moved (and was somewhere over Canada). I thought about sitting down right there and going to sleep. It was still pouring in Houston though...so even though they were going to make it in to Chicago, there were no guarantees that they'd get off the ground again headed to Houston.
I trudged through my day which included 7 miles on a treadmill (see Houston weather radar above!). I was so happy to hear when Patrick landed in Chicago. I'd been tracking his second plane and knew it was on time, but I wouldn't believe it until it took off. And it did...
And it flew through some terrible weather...which made me 91% worried and 9% that turbulence is what you get for missing your flight!
I got myself all dressed up to stand in the humid Houston weather and wait for him at baggage claim. I also confess that I parked in the garage...and then got so frazzled that I couldn't find my way to baggage claim...so then I went back to my car before I lost the car, paid $2 for stupidity, and then got in the car line outside baggage claim like everyone else! I swear it was PTSD. The last time I parked my car in that garage, I was also lost, but that was the time that I landed here in Houston only for Patrick to tell me that Larkin had broken her leg...so I wandered the parking garage crying and panicking until some sweet lady helped me figure out where I was. Anyway, so I should have known better than try that garage again!
But after all of that...there he was. Safe and sound. Me and the kids in one (happy, healthy) piece.
I survived...and turns out it wasn't so bad after all. ; )
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