D E L A Y S in dc

Knowing Justin landed in Washington DC and checking online until about 2am to make sure he was ok, I fell asleep last night thinking he was on his way to Kansas City.

Justin's flights didn't quite go as planned.

I know he's exhausted.

From what I've gathered from talking to my friend and messages on facebook... they lost one suitcase somewhere between Frankfurt and Washington DC.

I'll never understand how this happens as he was on a straight shot between the two cities.

With weather in DC, they loaded the plane waited for who knows how long on the flight line, then cancelled the flight after multiple delays. Those flights are the worst. Hot. Sweaty. Screaming babies.

With friends waiting to pick him up in Kansas City {they drove three hours north from Wichita just to get him} they were finally told all flights were cancelled. Working with the manager in Kansas City, they got notes put in his reservation and were told we could book him straight to Wichita.

My baby boy- stuck in DC alone.

It was hard enough saying good-bye. Knowing he was stranded made my heart drop. I quickly discovered he made contact with a friend at the airport at that time looking for Justin to take him home.

What a blessing.

With the convenience of modern technology including facebook, iphones and texting- she was able to finally find him and get him home.

She even found a Ginger Ale for him as he left sick and isn't feeling any better.
More than anything, she was able to re-assure me that he was ok.
Over the phone, I was able to re-book him tomorrow to fly through Chicago to Wichita rather than Kansas City. We tried to initially fly him straight to Wichita and the military wouldn't do it.

As difficult as this last 24 hours has been and as worried as I am right now knowing his trip isn't over, I'm most grateful for wonderful friends both in DC and in KS without which I wouldn't know what to do.

He now has neither of his suitcases, but he has a bed to sleep on for a few hours and a new itinerary for tomorrow. It has to go better than today did for him.

It's a helpless feeling being across the ocean.

I'm pretty sure he won't ever forget being sent off to college for his first year.