What really happened yesterday

Sometimes I think my blog posts sound like we just go from one joy to another.  Actually, I think we do.  But I often leave out the struggling part.  You know, the part in the middle.  Mostly because I am continually trying to protect the privacy of my family.

Before I post this, I will ask Den if it's okay with him, being...well, you'll see.

Yesterday I was looking so forward to picking up Amy and Logan and the kids from the airport.  True, it had only been 12 days but this trip was a huge deal to them, as it should be.  It's not everyday a family of 9 flies together across the US. It's certainly not an adventure I ever did with my kids.  Or one that I had growing up.

So I got 2 cameras ready...asking Dennis to use the extra one.  I even coached him on how with digital cameras you are just suppose to shoot away, and not wait for the perfect picture, like back in the day.

So being the ever gentleman he is, and since we needed 2 cars to pick up the 9, he told me to follow him.  Anytime he or anyone asks me to follow them by car, I always hear my mother's words in my head,  "It is so dangerous to follow a car."

I never quite knew what she meant by that, but I got a clue yesterday.

Dennis likes to take the scenic route, whenever he goes anywhere.  I prefer the shortest route.  So here I am making turn after turn after turn driving down his-chosen-tree-lined-streets in order to follow him, rather than just go straight down Clovis-boring-avenue.  And I'm thinking, why am I following him??    I go to the airport at least once or twice a month.  It's not like I don't know the way.

So after so many turns I was driving in a rather robotic way, mostly thinking about the kids and if we will get there in time to film them coming through the doors.  We drive into the parking lot and Den turns into the little entry, pulls out his ticket from the machine, and up the bar goes to let his car through.  And even though I have done this numerous times, last night I just sailed right through with him...NOT waiting to pull my ticket out...just robotically following him!

SO of course after the bar raises and lets Den's car through, this same bar crashes against my front window shield.  It made a loud enough sound that Den heard it though his closed car window...already on his way to park his car.

Still in my robotic way, I wonder...what's wrong, why can't I get my car through?...why is this bar stuck on my front window?  Then I realize what I have done.  I back up the car as the bar thuds away from my window.  Then I go forward again, getting my own ticket, and the bar raises and I go through.

To any one looking it would appear I was trying to get in free.  I wasn't.

So I'm frustrated and mad.  I realize it was my own fault but my immediate reaction was to blame Dennis.

As soon as I get out of the car I tell him that I did not like the route he chose to go.  He said,  "That is the way I always go to the airport."  (Hmmm, yes, he's right)

Then I told him I didn't like where he chose to park our cars either!  He calmly asked,  "Where would you like for us to park?" 

Dennis is impossible to argue with.  Even when I am just in a mood.  He is so agreeable.  If I could live my life over, I would be more like him.

So we go into the airport and I find a good place for us to capture our pictures as soon as we see our kids.  I am telling Dennis what pictures I would like him to take.  With each person we see walk down that long aisle behind the glass doors, I jump up and we both try to guess if it is them or not.

I notice a few couples watching us.  They are just sitting there and every time I look back I notice they have their eyes on us.  Whoever they are waiting for must not be that exciting since I see no cameras, and they not once get out of their chairs like we do continually.

So I try to be more like them.  I try to just sit and wait, but I can't.  We were having too much fun. 

Then we spot them coming.  My body starts shaking like I do when I am excited.  They come through the doors, and as soon as Logan sees our 2 cameras and our excitement, he says,  "We haven't even been gone 2 weeks!"  And Amy says,  "Where's our banner?"

I hear the couples laughing at us.  But you know what?  I didn't care.  Well I sort of did but oh well.  What can I say...we live in the moment.  Isn't that what life is all about?  The moments.  And now, at our age, it's all about the moments of our kids' lives. 

And you know another reason why I love my husband so much?  He did not once laugh at me, or make any comment at all about my trying to drive my car right through that ticket machine.  But he did casually ask me while we were waiting for the kids,  "So did the window break?"  (I forgot to check.) But I said, "Oh no, I don't think so.  It really didn't hit it that hard."  He could have said lots of things to that response like "well it sure did sound like it did"  or "I can't believe you did that!" 

But no, he just smiled at me.  And I think I heard a little bit of a laugh, but he was trying not to.  Because he's a good man.  And so very wise.