Thursday, January 8, 2009

It's been a while......Part 2

Okay here we go.... So I called my father in law and asked him if we could use his timeshare for Christmas. He says for me to wait and he can see if there is room for us near him. I hang up and minutes later, he call to verify if we really want it or not. I tell him, "Yes" an then the story begins........
Flash forward to November- Darryl changes jobs and tells me that there is no replacement for him so he isn't coming for Christmas. Wow, was I angry! Can't you do anything about it? Hello! We've ALWAYS been together for Christmas. You can't just stay here! You'll drive somebody crazy worrying about us!! So, I prayed about it and left it as it was. If I don't go, his dad will lose 2 weeks of timeshare. If I stay here, all we will do is eat and clean. (That's his new hobby-cleaning) So, To Virginia we go.
To fly on a military transport requires a letter stating that I am eligible to use the services (well something like that, it says). You have to get this letter to the transport office weeks in advance so you can get at the top of the list when a plane you want to get on happens to be flying through. So I had to get this done and take it and fax it to all of these different places so that if I happen to end up in Spain because that was the only plane they had to Europe that week went there, I would be in the computer there so I could try to get the next plane closest to my destination like Germany or landsakes!, England! Apparently no one flies here anymore that often. So, getting out of here was going to take an act of God, literally!
The days before I was to entailed calling the airport every day, at least 4 times to see if anything popped up. I was willing to catch a plane to Germany if that was the only was to get to the east coast. I was desperate and I was going to get there!!!
So 3 days before I was trying to fly out, there just happened to be a plane headed to Dover. Yep, thats close enough for me. Lets take it. WHAT??? It leaves in an hour! I can't even pick up my children from 3 schools in an hour. It's a 30 minute drive to anywhere from my house! What in the world kind of scheduling is this?
Okay- I'll be ready for the next one. What? There is a plane going to Florida on Friday? Alright I am packing NOW for it! It's on the East Coast. We can hitch a ride if need be..Just kidding.... Ha HA HAAA.
So, we are walking out the door with our luggage in hands when the phone rings. Science Dude's history teacher has his wallet! We need his ID so he can leave the country. Oh my goodness, what next? Maybe they won't notice........
To be continued... Cali girl is up from her nap..

Saturday, January 3, 2009

It's been a while, but here's what happened.

I am guilty of many things, but the most is not keeping up with my electronic stuff. You know blogs, websites, emails and stuff. So I apologize form the deepest corners of my heart for not taking the time out to keep you informed of life at my house.
Now, let's get you caught up.......
It all started one dark night when I was talking to my sister via SKYPE that we came up with the idea to spend Christmas together-again. I was so proud of her coming to California from Texas at Christmastime all those years and cringe thinking of all those miles she put on her cars (multiple vehicles I tell you- but that's another story). But okay, California wasn't that far, was it? Nope, not compared to a trip to the UK. Now that's a bit of a drive.
So, back to the story- We decided to meet for Christmas again, but where? Passports and plane tickets for a single mom and 3 children would be too costly,(Think a total of around $5,000.00, now faint!), But I'm not rich either so think just plane tickets alone for me and 4 children were around the same price. Then I'd have to have a rental car and then I'd have to drive to at least 3 cities to visit family after the 11 hour plane trip. Oh just thinking about all of that back and forthing makes my back end hurt. That would be a torture trip especially without my husband with us. Back in the days before Chloe, that would have been possible, but she is NOT a happy long trip traveler. Brainstorming........ Okay. How about Virginia? The wonderful in-laws(Opa & Oma), are there and the children have never had Christmas with them and it's possible to get there in ONE day of travel without having swollen limbs and a trip to the hospital for blood thinners. How about it? YEA! Virginia it is!!
Now, how can we get to Virginia and where are we going to stay? Too many of us to sleep on the couch anymore. Hmmmm.
We shall continue this story after dinner.......