Home Sweet Home

For a whole week (almost) my wonderful husband has been away. Lucky Los Angeles. Its warmer there, warmer than the frigid below zero temps here in Wisconsin Winter. Except that earlier this week we had a high of 59 and in LA it was only 57 (WHAT?). Anyway, today its back to 20 below, but everything is warmer because my husband is home.

Today was an early release day for the kids, they would be done at 1:05. David's plane was landing at 1:15 so he'd just have to wait an extra few minutes before we could get there. Except, I didn't want him to wait. Or actually, I didn't want to wait. So we skipped out early, got lunch at a drive through and went to the airport to surprise him. And we waited. Endlessly. For 45 minutes.

Archer kept a close eye on the arrival time of Dad's flight. Updating me every two minutes about the fact that nothing had changed yet. Still... waiting... Shelly carefully put the finishing touches on her "Welcome Home" banner and asked us to sign our names to it. 

Finally the arrivals board showed "Arrived" on his flight number and we stood at the end of the hallway waiting. Endlessly, for another 5 or 10 minutes. And then. There he was, not expecting us, not realizing what was happening as E ran, arms outstretched, and finally reached him, grabbed his daddy's legs and hung on in the biggest bear hug a two year old can manage.

And we were SO glad he was home, and glad for the little adventure to get out of school early and watch the planes and the people at the airport. We navigated the escalators (E's first time?), shared Dad's soft pretzel and soda that he'd gotten (his only food since 5:00 this morning), and everyone talked over everyone else to share their stories one on top of the other. And finally Dad was home, and life with the Fortier Five was back to normal, and all was right with the world.