World Traveler

In the fall, Valerie brought home information about a trip to Spain.  I knew then, she **HAD** to go.  She is in her second year of Spanish and how often will anyone have the opportunity to travel with a small group of friends, stay with a family, and basically only have to pay for air fare?  The trip was very cheap, considering she is in Spain for three weeks.  She **HAD** to go.  Her dad, a anonymous benefactor (Valerie knows who it is ;-) and I paid for about half of the trip, Valerie worked for $7.50/hr to pay for the rest.  She has worked HARD for this trip and her spending money.  She has been really excited about it, of course.  I think I am just as excited for her as she is.

I took Spanish, French and 5 years of Latin myself.  I never had traveled abroad though.  Someday.

Anyway, we have been really looking forward to this.


School ended on the 5th, so this was the first week of "summer." Asher has been LOVING day camp (which is a major relief to me), and Valerie has been working and enjoying time with Dakota, Hailey, and Candra.  It was a good week for us all.




So.... Friday was THE day.  Well, apparently there was bad weather in New York... and the flight was cancelled, but the teacher got the kids onto another airline. We waited for them the check in for a couple hours and... that flight was cancelled.  So....... we waited for her to try to figure it out.  Asher entertained everyone.  We were all laughing at him.  She is hilarious.  He made everyone laugh and easy.  Strangers were even commenting to me on him.  He is a gift to me. 

Leaving for Reagan National! Friday morning.

Well, Ms Weber had no luck, soooooo after 2 hours waiting, she got everyone booked for the next afternoon, so we all drove back home. This turned out to be a long drive with weather, traffic and the distance. It was a full 9 hours before we got home. Lucky though, everyone remained in good spirits.




So... we left the next morning at 10 and did it all over again.  This time, we checked the weather in Boston (the new connecting city) and Madrid over and over... All looked well.

Asher and I went on many "adventures" as we waited till time to check in.  Annnnnd.... all was well.

 

 

 

 

 

More Asher Antics

There they are checking in... welllll.... one of the girl's names was spelled wrong, so there was a question for a good thirty minutes as to if she was going to be able to board.  Lots of time, phone calls, and one upset girl later, it was fixed.

It was Valerie's turn to check her bag.  Asher was ALL ABOUT helping her.  He was totally psyched that her bag was going to be X-rayed.  He insisted over and over again that he help her put the bag on the scale.  He really liked helping with that. 

It was NOW REAL! She had a (window, YAY!) seat and her bag was 20 pounds under the limit.  We all gathered to the side.  My heart was pounding... we all said goodbye.  

Asher gave kisses, Valerie was relaxing a little

We left, but then realized that security was down the hall, so we stood there to wave goodbye again- she is all the way down at the far end.  She was talking with the other students.  Honestly, I was so glad.  I just want her to have fun and she really was getting along great with the others on the trip.  I feel like Asher's Antics helped with that.  He loosened everyone up :-)

Then... Asher and I went back to my car (I HAVE A NEW CAR, PEOPLE!!)

Running free

He was trying to watch his eyes move as we were on the walkway ;-)

When we got home, I checked my phone and Valerie was already in Boston.

Islands next to Boston sure do look pretty

Saturday Night Sunset

About ten minutes later "The flight is overbooked. We do not have seats"

Ugh.  This has happened to me before.  IT is the worst.  Worst still, they were supposed to take off in 30 minutes.  Well, five minutes before last boarding, they got seats.  Thank goodness for those who can be swayed by hotel/travel vouchers.


The plane took off about 40 minutes late, but she was OFF!!  I watched the whole thing on an app.  That was actually very cool.  AND, I got a text when she was airborne and when she landed at 1 am our time.   

Very cool

I did not hear from her until a couple hours ago, but she says she loves her host family, she is having fun and she is tired ;-) 

About an hour ago, she messaged me again that she is homesick.  I know when I left for college, that first night was rough.  I cried and cried, and WOW, was I ready for college.  I can imagine how she is feeling- in a foreign country and all.  But I told her we love her, we miss her, and soon she will be back in "boring Broadway" once again.

So... I am VERY EXCITED for her.  I am so happy she is doing things that I still have not.  It brings me such happiness.