An Unexpected Adventure getting to El Paso

We always like to plan a trip to El Paso to see family over the holidays, and the family has a tradition of celebrating my Aunt Patsy's birthday (actually on January 4) together. The dates for travel have fallen after Christmas the last few years, but with everyone's busy schedule, we could only get all the cousins there before Christmas this year. So we planned our trip for December 20-23,  but when we reviewed flights, they were very expensive (and now we need 4 tickets!). So Barrett decided he could drive the boys down by himself while Ellie and I flew. He got up and on the road by 5:45 am on Saturday morning! Ellie was just going back to sleep from her 4 am feeding, and I was pretty tempted to hop in the car with them (thinking she would sleep for another 4 hours, and we could save the flight money!). But my sweet husband insisted we take it easy at the house and enjoy the quick flight to El Paso in a few hours (if only I knew what was ahead)! They had a great drive and were in El Paso by about 1 pm, just after I arrived at the airport in Austin!!

Meanwhile, I got all ready at the house, got my friend Monica to drop us off at the airport (my mom had mentioned there was a chance we could fly home in their new jet so I didn't want to deal with having to pick up my car if that happened), and Ellie and I headed to the airport right on time arriving with just a little over an hour until our flight was scheduled to leave. I only had her car seat/ stroller, a diaper bag, and my breast pump with me since we were able to send the rest of our bags in the car with the boys. 

But when I went to gate check her stroller, I learned that our flight was already almost a couple hours delayed (our 1:45 departure was now 3:30). Also, the next flight out (at 5 pm) was already over booked and not an option.  This was not good news as I had planned her nursing to be right during take off, and I did not want to be at the airport with my less-than-2-month old and LOTS of people and germs!! And I mean a LOT of people! There was no place to sit without someone else sitting right next to me anywhere! And my car was not there- so I was stuck! 

So I got a pass up to the Admirals Club, found a private nursing lounge, and fed Ellie. Then, since I happened to have my pump, I stayed there to make her a bottle so I wouldn't have to nurse down stairs! Ellie took a nap while I did this... so far she has been a perfect angel all day!

As I was up there, I got another notification that my flight was delayed more... and then more... and then .... CANCELED!! WHAT?!  The plane had mechanical problems and was staying grounded in El Paso. While I had been trying to stay positive and optimistic (and at this point all my boys were already with my mom at the condo- and I was so sad not to be there), I finally had my moment of weakness and just cried for a second in the nursing lounge! Hah! Then I got over my weird overemotional state, and headed down stairs to see what my options were.... only to find that there were really none!! All flights to El Paso were booked... until MONDAY! I would be missing all the fun activities planned with my aunt and cousins, wouldn't be introducing Ellie to Grandma, Rachel, and many other dear family members, etc... and to top it off, my boys were all there! I was really sad!!

I got in line behind about 100 people from my flight and began waiting for the $200 voucher they were offering all the poor people who's Christmas plans had just taken a drastic turn. 

 As we waited in line, I begin talking to many of the people around me, and learned that their stories were even more sad than mine... people that hadn't seen their family in years, a 15 year old kid trying to go from dad's house to mom's house for Christmas traveling alone for the first time, a college kid trying to get home for the first time all year... on an on! Many of the people had never been to Austin, and they were saying it would be days before the next flight would be available. So people in the line were deciding to rent cars together and drive.... 

Insert my amazing parents, Gigi and Capi, who were trying to enjoy their first Saturday in El Paso in weeks! When they realized there was really no other way for me to get there, they got in their new jet, and came to save Ellie and me! How INCREDIBLY BLESSED are we!!! And when I told them about all the sad people's stories around me- they said I could pick 2-3 people to bring with me!!! A true Christmas blessing and gift!!!! 

So 3 people who I had been talking to decided to come with me... a sophomore at Notre Dame who hadn't been home to see his family all year, a man from Florida whose family drove 3 hours from Silver City and had been waiting to pick him up in El Paso for hours (and he hadn't seen them since his father's funeral years ago), and another fellow pilot who commutes to Austin for her job at AISD while her husband lives in El Paso. She was the only one who had been on a small plane before and really even understood what I was offering! She was SO EXCITED to be flying in a jet and knew more about it than I did!! The others just jumped at the invitation, but had no idea what they were in for!! We grabbed a cab and headed to the private airport to wait for Capi and Gigi!

Ellie was truly the most amazing baby all day long!! She never cried or complained... just ate, napped, smiled at our new friends, and went with the flow!! Below is her napping at the private airport as we waited. 

When they arrived in Austin about 2 hours later to get us, I realized I had taken everyone to the wrong private airport! So the adventure continued as we got into another cab and went to the right airport! But finally, we got in the jet - 3 new friends in tow- and headed to El Paso!!! What a crazy day!!!!

One of my new friends getting on Capi and Gigi's beautiful jet! 

Ellie's first plane ride... she's already getting spoiled!! 

She continued to amaze as she quietly nursed and took another nap! What a baby!!!

 Then we arrived at Capi and Gigi's hanger, and everyone was so incredibly grateful for such amazing kindness from them!! What a gift!!  Barrett and the boys were waiting for us (even though it was almost 8 pm Austin time - which is late for them!) along with our new friends' families. 

They all took pictures in front of the plane - and I have no doubt will be telling this story forever of the random girl in the line at the airport that got them a ride on a jet and saved their Christmas plans!!! We have already started a group email, become Facebook friends, and plan to stay in touch! 

Thank you, thank you, thank you Capi and Gigi - for such giving and beautiful hearts!!!!