Our Trip to WY Comes To A Close With Excitement

Well, we made it home last night. Not without a little excitement though. We boarded our airplane in Riverton yesterday at about 1PM (it was delayed coming in because of weather). About 30 minutes before we boarded, the heavy rain that was coming down turned to snow. We sat on the tarmack for over an hour while they tried to catch up and get ahead of the snow that was coming down in blankets with the de-icing equipment so we could take off. Finally after the third time of applying the de-icer, we taxied to the end of the runway...then we sat for another 20 minutes before taking off because the captain said there was a really bad storm in our way close to Denver and they were going to re-route us 250 miles south of Denver and possibly as far west as Grand Junction (clear on the western border of the state!!). And they were having to calculate fuel usage to see if we could make it. GREAT!

Well, we took off and had darn right the worst, scariest, most surreal flight I have ever been on in my life. Like to the point where I was hanging on tightly to my boys just praying that I could get them home to see Chris. All I wanted was for that flight to be over with. Needless to say, they didn't re-route us all over the state, instead they just flew right through it. And it was horrifying to say the least.

As you can imagine, I was a basket case when we got to Denver, trying so hard to hold it together for the kids. When the plane stopped, I only had 7 minutes to catch our flight to Minneapolis! I had Cayden and Dylan, a diaper bag, a huge camera bag, and a heavy computer bag to get off the plane and down the concourse 60 gates. WE MADE IT! Can you believe it?? I still can't. I don't think I've ever been that person running down the concourse with one in the stroller, one hanging on to the side of the stroller for dear life just trying to keep up, and bags flopping on me everywhere. Yelling "excuse me" the whole way. What a sight we were. Once on the plane I called my support system to try to calm myself down (Chris and my dear family) only to find out that we had just flown through a storm that had produced three deadly tornadoes and golf ball sized hail in southern Wyoming and Northern Colorado just north of Denver!! UNBELIEVABLE! I'm thankful I didn't know that prior to taking off in Riverton.

We had more turbulence on our Minneapolis flight for about 45 minutes...as if my nerves weren't already frazzled enough. I just kept thinking...just smooth out, please just smooth out. It finally did, and we made it home. And wow, was I glad. I lost it when I saw Chris waiting for us in baggage claim. My wishes did come true, my prayers were answered, hallelujah. I got to see those two little boys run in to their Daddy's arms at the end of our day.

So there you go...our air travel adventure. Don't care to have another one of those. I can honestly say this experience did refresh my priorities or atleast put things back in check a little bit I guess you can say. Situations like that make the things in life that are really important very obviously clear. Today we had the best day in the world and it was because we were just together. We planted our garden together, flowers together, played on the swingset with the kids, had dinner out on the porch together, and finally wrapped up the night with a beer and a smore around the campfire at the neighbor's house. Perfect weather and priceless time together as a family that I was praying so dearly for yesterday on that plane.

Hug your loved ones!!!! Every day we are given is precious.

I am attaching a few last pictures of the trip. And my absolute favorite is the one of Cayden and Dylan in Chris' arms just after we got to him at the airport last night.

Love to you all!

jnv


Mima had to help out at the donut shop the morning we went in for a hot one. She helps from time to time when Jeff and Mary get in a personnel bind.



Mima and Dylan at the Donut Shop



Cayden Enjoying His Scrumptious Donut (there are none better than Daylight Donuts!)



Flying Grandad's Remote Control Helicopter



So Happy To Be in Daddy's Arms