Charlottesville

So far this month I have only been home FOUR DAYS. Yes, Four. Ergo the lack of posts (among other things. I had so many gift plans that I simply couldn't complete for lack of time! So frustrating!!!)

Last week was my birthday, and Doc had an interview the next day in Virginia. It was the only interview we didn't actually buy him an airline ticket to get to...since theoretically he could fly there on my airline for free. But if I travel with him, he flies with a higher standby priority. So because it's been almost 2 years since our last kid-free get-away together, and since it was my birthday, we planned to go together and have a little couple time. One of my angel friends agreed to keep my kids for me.

Charlottesville Virginia is many things. The home of Thomas Jefferson, (we spent a lovely afternoon touring Monticello), beautiful hills, loads of history and typically mild weather. But the day after we arrived, The Storm hit. And Charlottesville is NOT used to getting 2 feet of snow in a day. The entire town literally shut down and there were hundreds of car accidents. (Perspective check: the Saturday before Christmas, WALMART didn't open! If you can even imagine that.)

Doc and I were stranded with no way to get home. Happily our car rental company extended our car for an extra two days, and the hotel let us stay at an "emergency rate", so we holed up and made the best of the situation...which could have been so much worse (nice hotel room, indoor jacuzzi, pool,fitness center, free WiFi and a Sam's Club next door that let us buy some food even though we're not members).

I realized before the storm arrived that it was going to be a big one, and that Doc would NEVER make it home for Christmas flying standby if there was even one flight cancellation (there were literally hundreds of them on all airlines), so I quickly booked him a flight on another airline...gambling that by Sunday evening things would be up and running again. For myself...I was just banking on getting a jumpseat to make it home.

Doc did make it home late Sunday. I finally arrived last night. I have family arriving tonight for Christmas, and as of this moment there isn't really anything for Gator under the tree (thankfully he doesn't read my blog)...which is SO not going to go over! So it's time to get cooking. I won't get everything I wanted to make for people done, but Christmas is here, and it's my favorite time of year. Maybe someday I'll get better about advanced preparation. More later!

Grateful for:
1) Friends and family who took care of my kids in a pinch. I was never worried about them.
2) An accident-free car rental experience. Cause some people seriously can't drive in snow!
3) The kindness of humanity. A co-worker I barely knew at work saw me stuck in the airport and took me home with her for the night so I could sleep in a bed.
4) Getting the very last jumpseat on the flight last night. And having a long book to read to pass the time.
5) Quality time with Doc. He's the greatest! ♥