Our Cramazing May, Episode LIX: Meanwhile, Back at the Sheraton...

From my perspective, this night was just as crazy, but in a there's-not-a-lot-I-can-do-about-it sort of way....or so I thought.  To this day, I kick myself for not thinking about going down to the front desk and asking for help.  Remember the nice manager who had told me to let him know if I needed anything at all?  He really meant it, and I should have remembered and believed him.  But I didn't...remember, that is.  Or believe him.  One or the other...or maybe both.  

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Tom and I went upstairs, and I got him ready for bed, excited that our Embassy appointment was in the morning and that we were getting so close to home.  He went to sleep easily, and I checked email and killed time until I could hear that Hoffbeast and Rex were safely at their gate...which I never did hear.

Thankfully, Daddy's phone battery lasted just long enough for us to communicate ALL NIGHT via texting. My side of the story was documented that night as I posted updates on my blog....


12:55 a.m.
"Tom and I had some good bonding time today...good thing, since Daddy (otherwise known as "the clingee") is gone now.  Hoffbeast and Rex left a couple of hours ago for the airport, where they are currently trying to get their e-ticket printed out so that they can get through security.  I probably knew that they needed it at some point, but if I did, that little detail completely slipped my mind.

They will fly from here to Belgium, then on to Chicago, where our fabulous intern, Noel, will pick them up and drive them home!  Tonight, they will get to see Neil again after being gone from him for 2 1/2 weeks!  I'm so excited for them!

As for me and Tom, we have the all-important Embassy appointment tomorrow morning, and we are hoping to hang around the Embassy area until his visa is issued.  It would be great if it didn't take very long, but we'll have to wait and see.  They will just be coming off of a long weekend, so who knows how many visas will need to processed in front of ours.

Today we moved to a new hotel (Have I mentioned what beautiful hotels we've stayed in in Delhi?!  And our hotel in Bhubaneswar was great, too!) so that Tom and I can be with our travel partners since The Hub won't be with me anymore.  We loved our last hotel, but this one is fantastic, too!  I feel like a queen staying at these nice places...this is NOT normal life in America!  Another added mercy....it has been great to be able to be physically comfortable while being taxed so much emotionally.

So after arriving at our new hotel, Daddy and Rex rested while Tom and I explored the hotel and grabbed some grub.  Let me just say....the kid can eat!  And I got all sorts of smiles from him!

Beautiful day, beautiful boy!  :)

___________________

3:04 a.m.
Well, this is yet another unexpected turn of events.  Hoffbeast and Rex have missed their flight out of Delhi.  Just goes to show you that getting to the airport more than 3 hours early doesn't guarantee that you'll make your international flight.

I'm still not sure what all happened, but it sounds like they ended up not having the necessary boarding passes once they finally made it to the front of the security line.

I am Facebook chatting with our travel agent now, trying to figure out what to do.  As you read this, please pray.  They are sad but are doing okay.

For my part, I have prayed that if, for some reason, the Daddy needs to be at the Embassy appointment, that he would be.  So I know that God is at work.  Not sure whether they will get rebooked for a new flight tonight or just end up waiting 'til tomorrow, same time.  Thanks for your prayers...

____________________

4:18 a.m.
That's the time on the clock....and I'm on the phone with American Airlines trying to figure out my family's new plane reservations.  I wonder how expensive this call is?  Never did I have a clue that I would be pulling an all-nighter the night before our Embassy appointment.

I'm feeling for my husband and son...they must be exhausted, and their journey isn't over.

_____________________

5:37 a.m.
....and I am finally off the phone (Eventually, I figured out how to skype AA which saved us money....wish I would've figured that out before.), and my boys are finally on their way back to the hotel.  Luggage took forever to get back, then security wouldn't let them leave the airport.  Then once they got out, they had no money for a cab.  What a travel nightmare.  Will we laugh about it someday?  I hope so...

If I go to sleep, I will miss our appointment, so I will shower, eat something, spend some time in the Word, and get the little guy up and dressed.  After the appointment, hopefully The Hub will be rested enough that it will be my turn for sleeping.

What a night!"

I ended up spending $250 on that phone call, which is especially irritating because one, I wasn't able to get them rebooked that night (They ended up booked on the very same flight the next night.), and two, I kept telling each American Airlines person that I spoke with that I was making an international call and could they please not put me on hold...which they did, each one of the four people I spoke to, in turn.  Customer service that night was not awesome, needless to say.  It should be noted that our travel agent was awesome, though.  She was so sympathetic and was trying everything she could do to help from Washington.  

In the end, the worst part of the situation ending up being that all I really needed to do was go downstairs and tell the desk manager that we were having trouble.  Yes, it's true...at any point in the night, he later told me, he would have sent a car to the airport with the needed documents.  Oh really?  That's all I needed to do? Oops...that was a rather expensive mistake.  Our wonderful desk manager friend did what he could and took 20% off of my phone bill, but that was the only help he could offer at that point.  That and a kind-but-disgusted little shake of his head which said, "I told you that I would help you if you needed any help!  Why did you not believe me?!"  I'm sorry, kind-but-disgusted desk manager friend...believe me, our bank account is very sorry.  

So, it was 5:30 in the morning, and I.was.so.tired.  But I knew I had to stay awake.  My body doesn't do well on less than 2 hours of sleep, which is all the possible time I had before needing to leave for our Embassy appointment.

That part of the story is next...

Update from Indiana...

So I'm in Columbus, and I feel like I should post an update...so many people have prayed, and I thank you.

Dad's voice is significantly stronger than when I was here a few weeks ago, and I begin to have hope that maybe I will be able to re-record some of his stories!

That's the good news.

The bad news is that he has developed a few bed sores, one rather serious one on his lower leg in particular. Please pray for him, that the wound would heal and that his leg pain would be relieved...thank you.

I'm so glad I'm here...that's an understatement.

Tomorrow, the neighborhood will heave a collective sigh of relief as the dead tree in Mom and Dad's front yard is finally making its way out. Most people wouldn't balk at cutting down this tree, but Dad and I aren't most people. <insert sentimental wink>

Lastly, before leaving home, I raided the attic and bailed this train set out of toy jail, where it was set to remain until Christmas. Bart played with it for HOURS today! Hours. No joke. That kid loves him some trains!

Cross Country, the Final Chapter (we think)

I'm not sure he's ever been called a "natural-born athlete" before, which is what his coach called him during their end-of-season banquet, but I do think he's got some natural endurance and pace-setting genes in him...after all, he is his grandpa's grandson!

Today, I drive down to Indiana again to be with my daddy and mama...can't wait to show Dad the pictures and video of Rex getting his cross country award last week. It was his third year on the team, and with this, Rex's forced athletic career comes to a close. 

Thanks to Mrs. Swick for being a fantastic coach for our son these last few years...he has learned to be an encouragement to his teammates, no doubt, from you!

Je Suis Talent

Ever since she was a baby, people have stopped us and said things like, "She should be in pictures!" or "I thought she was a doll, but she's moving!" She's precious to us in every way, but today, I'm showing off some photos from her portfolio photo shoot. Yep, Beth's new venture is modeling...we'll see what happens. This first shoot may be the first of many or it may be the only one she ever does. Either way, she's my joy, and she and Mama had a wonderful and very girly day together!

But in the end, she's just our little girl, and in the last picture here, she's modeling her Halloween costume, which also happens to be the one I wore when I was her age!!! (Can you believe my Mom kept it all this time?! She's awesome!)