The Bright Side...

Well, the bright side is that our nine days in Kansas City bared no resemblance to our trip home.  Kansas City was fun, relaxing and full of family and friends.  The trip home...wasn't.

It all started with a slight delay out of KCI -- no big deal.  Then a longer delay out of Midway -- still not the end of the world, but had us slated to land around 12:30 AM, until they apparently assigned trainees to load the baggage -- it took over 45 minutes!

Finally, around 1 AM, we landed in beautiful, warm Charleston -- except it was 34 degrees!!!  The same temperature as Kansas City and Chicago!  Not what we were hoping for!

Seeing as we were hauling back our Christmas bounty, Jason and I decided that rather than splitting up for someone to get the car and someone else to wait for bags, we'd all go for the car and I would just circle while he located and loaded the bags -- with the added bonus of no waiting on the baggage carousel. 

We gathered up the carry-ons and the sleeping toddler and made the short hike to the car. Seeing frost on all the surrounding cars, I suggested Jason use the remote start.  He had already tried.  Hoping it was just an issue with the key fob, we arrived at the truck still optimistic that it would start.  It didn't....

Undeterred, Jason settled Charlie in his seat while I located the call box and requested help.  Despite the late hour, the airport operator said someone would be right there.  Back at the car, sleeping beauty was complaining of the chill, and since Jason's coat was still in one of the bags spinning around inside the warm airport, I wrapped mine around Charlie.

Immediately, thought of the bags had me worried.  What would Charlie do if someone snagged the toy suitcase -- with his brand new bow and arrow and rainbow nightlight?  Leaving the men to handle the car issue, I hurried back to the airport, all the while congratulating myself for suggesting that Jason back in to the parking spot "just in case".  (My first New Year's Resolution for 2013 is to mock this habit no more...at least for a while...)

I arrived just in time to claim the dirty clothes suitcase, the clean clothes suitcase, Charlie's suitcase, and prevent the lady next to me from "accidentally" claiming the toy suitcase!!  Crisis averted.

Unfortunately, things weren't going so well at the car.  Despite the fact that Jason had to manually unlock the car, it managed to automatically lock itself while he was standing next to it talking to the police officer -- with Charlie inside!! 

And while I didn't witness this myself, I can only picture Jason knocking on the window to wake Charlie then trying to convince him to unbuckle himself from the carseat, despite protests of, "But Daddy, I'm not allowed to unbuckle!"

Not to mention the fun of trying to explain to Charlie how to manually unlock the driver's door through the window, only to hear, "Daddy...I am sooo cold."  Poor Jason....  Thankfully, Charlie's goal in life is to please Daddy, so they were ultimately successful.  Who knows how it would have gone were he supposed to obey Mommy...

Back in the car, Jason was disappointed to find out that the airport police officer's jumper box didn't have enough juice to jump the truck, so he went off to jump another car, hoping it could then jump the truck.  Apparently his box was a dud...no luck with car two either. 

Meanwhile, back in the quickly emptying airport, I was standing next to a lady and two small children who had left Daddy in California for two more days.  Based on her body language, crying 6 year old, and snippets of her phone conversation, I learned that she was trying to get a cab to Summerville, but was told they were all busy, but someone would be along eventually.  At 1:45 in the morning, "eventually" is a really long time.

Fully aware that Jason had to be at work in less than 7 hours, and unaware whether or not the truck was running yet, I texted him to see if he'd be willing to swing by the Asheboro subdivision on the other side of Summerville.  Being Jason, of course he was...once we figured out how to fit all of us in the truck more-or-less legally.

So, exactly how does one approach a complete stranger in an airport to offer them a ride without sounding creepy?  I have no idea.  I think she just accepted because she was desperate.  Of course, as we all stood waiting for the truck to start and Jason to rescue us, I started wondering if maybe she and the kids were scammers who had booby-trapped our car with plans to mug us for our marshmallow shooter and 2003 Chevy... I blame it on lack of sleep.

I was jarred out of my paranoid worries when her 8 year old suddenly fell off the suitcase she was sitting on and bumped her head on the floor.  We were the only four people in sight and I was completely unequipped to help.  Thankfully, everyone was more scared than hurt, but tensions were high.  What could possibly happen next?

Good news! 

Jason was able to flag down another traveler and get the truck started, then jump the other stranded driver. We were on our way!

I hauled the bags out to the curb and stood their shivering, desperate for the first site of our beloved truck.  Jason pulled up and yelled back that I needed to come push the gas pedal while he loaded the bags -- our "classic" is a bit temperamental in cold weather.  We successfully (albeit not gracefully) replaced Jason's foot on the gas with mine, but then I had the challenge of actually hauling the rest of my body into the driver's seat...and I failed.  Yep.  Truck died again. 

I think the lady and I were both near tears.  What now?  The smattering of police cars around were no help, kind as they were, because the boxes wouldn't jump us and they are not allowed to jump from their engines. 

By now it was past 2 AM.  Everyone was cold.  And no one had a plan -- well, almost no one. 

What should happen next, but the cab pulled up and was willing to jump start the truck?  And it worked on the first try!  And I just stayed in the driver's seat and drove all the way home to avoid another foot-switch debacle (respect me as he does, Jason doesn't trust me with jumper cables -- smart man...).

The lady and her kids hopped in the cab, drove off without their luggage (not kidding), then circled around and picked it up and we were all headed safely to Summerville. 

I did have a bit of a time figuring out how to keep the truck above 1000 RPM while stopping (it is just not intuitive to try to stop while you're pressing the gas), but we did make it home through four traffic lights and one "rolling" stop sign.

I suppose now that I think about it, there were a few similarities between our Christmas in Kansas City and our trip home:

• We were together
• We had plenty of reasons to laugh (albeit more in amazement than humor)
• We were surrounded by kind people willing to do just about anything for us
• We have memories that will last a lifetime
• God was with us and abundantly faithful

Pictures will follow soon, but today's priorities are showers, laundry and finding homes for all Charlie's new treasures. 

"It's Christmas in our OWN house!"

Hard as we try to give Charlie an ideal childhood, I have to admit that Jason and I haven't really hit the mark when it comes to "the magic of Christmas". 

You see, we haven't had to.  Each year we go back to Kansas City to a beautifully decorated house, gorgeous tree, stacks of presents, piles of sweets and a full schedule of Christmas fun with family, and despite the fact that we're never "home" on Christmas morning, I can't imagine ever doing anything different.

The problem is...we really don't do much here in SC.  Yes, we put up a tree and stockings, and most years garland in the kitchen (though it was dropped this year after it sat in boxes in the study for two weeks), but we haven't done a very good job of creating Christmas traditions for Charlie (and us) here at home to get in the Spirit -- which may be why Jason and I always feel like Christmas sneeks up on us and is over before it's started.

This year, though, we've made a concentrated effort to change, so 2012 is the official launch of SC Christmas traditions -- despite the fact that the three of us were only together in Summerville for a sum total of 13 days in December.

Tradition 1: The Christmas Market at Marion Square (Jason and I used to wander the square pre-Charlie, but it fell by the wayside.  We had a wonderful time with him this year from our special donut breakfast to buying presents for the dogs, sharing crepes on the square and of course, sliding to our hearts' content.

Tradition 2: Toys for Tots - Again, a pre-Charlie tradition that he was big enough for this year, though we did cancel the usual "friendly" competition and task Charlie with picking out "cool toys" -- plus we found a Big Lots that shared a parking lot with a Toys drop-off.  Instead of loading the presents in the car, Charlie got to ride the cart "trash-man style" to Publix! 

Tradition 3: The James Island County Lights -  You guessed it, we did this one our first year in SC, too, and haven't been back since -- but this time we stopped for the s'mores and carousel between loops (one trip around just wasn't enough) and hopefully next year we'll wise up and buy our train tickets early enough to get a ride!

Tradition 4:  All Christmas music, all the time!  - My all time favorite tape (yes, tape!) is the original A Very Special Christmas (circa 1986 or so) and with the magic of iPod we can have it in the house, in the car, in the backyard, anywhere!  Nothing says holiday spirit like Run DMC's Christmas in Hollis, though Madonna's Santa Baby seems to be Charlie's favorite.

Tradition 5: Presents Under the Tree! - Don't judge, but I'm a notorious slacker when it comes to this.  Typically, I slap some paper on Charlie's gifts New Year's Eve in preparation for our family exchange on New Year's morning.  Jason and I don't really do gifts for each other, so our tree is generally quite bare.  I learned my lesson on this one yesterday, though.  Charlie and I wrapped his present for Daddy yesterday afternoon,  and when he'd found the perfect spot for it under the tree, he turned to me and said, "Mama!  It's Christmas in our own house!"  And truthfully, how do I expect him to understand the grace and mercy of the most precious gift, if he doesn't have the expectation and wonder of lesser gifts?  I better get to wrapping...

Now, lest anyone fear that we have completely forgotten the true meaning of Christmas, be assured that our nightly Nativity Advent Calendar is still the highlight of  each evening, and we are spending a lot of time discussing the wonder of the Gabriel's visit, the amazement of the shepherds, the faithfulness of Joseph, the honor for Mary and the miracle of Baby Jesus -- but what better way to help Charlie see the glorious gift of our Savior's birth than to create an atmosphere of love, joy, enchantment and anticipation leading up to Christmas itself?

Confirmed Bachelor

While eating macaroni and cheese and gazing longingly at the toothpick he was just told to remove from his mouth...

Charlie: When I grow up I'm not going to have a wife.
Mommy: Why?
Charlie: That way I can use a toothpick while I eat.
Mommy: Oh, so you're not going to have a wife so you don't have to have good manners?
Charlie: Well, that will be good manners for myself.

Guess I don't have to worry about the daughter-in-law thing anymore...

Life Lesson #1376

After a wonderful week in El Paso with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Chris, Aunt Angie, Uncle Bill, and of course, Bella, we made it home to Daddy last night. 

I was a bit concerned that the return to normal would be boring to Charlie, but apparently, even our house has new and exciting adventures...

Walking through the entry hall...

Charlie: Oh no!  Mommy, a hole!
Mommy (looking around confused:  What, buddy?  Oh!  No, sweetie, that's the peep hole!

Nothing is ever boring with a 3 year old!

 

Judgment Calls...

Based on my 1,366 days of parenting experience, I have decided that making judgment calls is definitely the hardest part of being a mom.  You know -- the stuff where there is no clear right or wrong answer, but you have to decide what is best?  I hate that stuff!  I much prefer absolutes.

For example, Charlie has a 99.4 degree temperature this morning.  Yes, that is a fever -- I think--but barely.  But, his temp is usually low, so does that mean this is even a higher temp for him?  Also, is that high enough to relegate him to the couch for the day?  Does the runny nose impact the decision?  What about the boundless energy?

When he was in school it was easy: fever stays home.  But now that he's home, does fever mean we can't leave the house.  Is any level of fever contagious?  If he rests today is he more likely to be cured by our 6:30 AM flight on Thursday, or does this just have to run its course?

See what I mean?  All of those questions from a barely there fever!

The call?  Home.  Our plans for today included  4 year old and almost one year old friends, whom I would hate to get sick.  Plus, I really don't want to travel with a sick kid in less than 2 days.  But seriously?  We're staying home for a 99.4 degree fever?

Next judgment call: how much TV is too much?  And do you bend the rules on sick days?  Typically Charlie gets 2 shows of his choice from the selection of Little Bear, Curious George, Word World and Toot & Puddle.  Nine times out of ten he watches them in the morning, so if he naps he can have a bit of his Bible movie or Jesus movie while I make dinner -- I figure until he can read, that is the next best thing to reading the Bible with him.  Am I making him a couch potato?  Who knows!

And yes, now would be an appropriate time to say a prayer for grace and peace for Jason -- poor man.  Logic tells me that I'm spending an inordinate amount of time worrying about nothing to avoid worrying about my dad's cancer, but that doesn't mean I'm able to push it aside. 

Plus, even with the cancer there are judgment calls regarding when and how long to visit (my ability to be helpful and provide a peaceful environment is obviously severely impacted by my 3 year old side-kick, but let's be honest, he's the one they want to see!).

As I type this, Dad is meeting with Dr. Gomez, his oncologist, to hear their plans for him for the next weeks/months.  Chemo will likely start anyday.  That in mind, Mom, Dad, Jason and I decided that restful or not, Charlie and I would go for a week now, just to be there while Dad still feels good.  Then we'll look at a more "helpful" visit down the road -- and make that call when the time comes.

I sure hope we don't cause more trouble than we're worth...  I sure hope this chemo works...  I sure hope I don't spend the next eight days crying... 

I sure hope I can get over my obvious discomfort with my complete lack of control over my Dad's health and just be a good daughter and mother...

Hmmm....maybe some things are more black and white than I like to think...

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6-7