Helena's First Christmas!

O Holy night!
Helena couldn't have asked for a better first Christmas!

We spent it at Jan's parents house in Ware Neck, VA. If you don't know where that is, it's on a salt river next to a bunch of historical-like stuff, in between Richmond and Norfolk. To get a decent ticket price to Virgina, we arranged to fly on Christmas Eve. Not so bad, except when we finished the Seattle to JFK leg, we found that the Richmond, VA leg had been canceled! "Why?" we asked, expecting to hear a terrible weather report or that the fleet of planes had been damaged. "The First Officer called in sick," they told us. Called in sick?!?

We asked when they could put us on the next flight.
"Oh, we've already re-scheduled your flight to Richmond," they said.
"Oh good, when does it leave," we asked.
"Well, we'll fly you to a connector flight in Cincinnati, then to Richmond."
"Oookay...when will that get us there?"
"Tomorrow afternoon," the lady behind the counter said with a straight face.
"You mean today?"
"No."
"You mean our re-scheduled flight will get us there over 24 hours from now--and on Christmas Day?"
"Yes."
"You've got to be kidding."
Jan begins to speak in expletives.
"No, sir. We're not kidding."

After going back and forth, and being denied vouchers or a little compassion, we re-schedule a flight that takes us through Atlanta and then on to Norfolk (instead of Richmond), Virginia.

Many hours later we arrive (still on Christmas Eve) but without any luggage (which did go through Cincinnati and then to Richmond and got to us Christmas Day). We were given consolation bathroom kits that included a razor, shaving cream, toothpaste and brush, and a size-XL t-shirt to sleep in.

Thank you, Delta Airlines. Thank you so much.

Helena was very happy to see her Grandpa John at the terminal and we were happy to get off the plane.

PICS HERE!

When we got to Grandpa John's and Grandma Lenore's house, we were mobbed. Cousins, aunts and uncles -- all surrounded Helena, still sleeping peacefully in her car seat from the ride home. I think someone said "Hi" to Jan and me, but I can't be sure...

It is amazing that everyone was able to mobilize on the house at the same time. We came from Seattle; Bert, Caroline, and Loren drove down from Vermont; Ginny, Greg, Emily, and Ella drove from Maine; and a few hours after us, Adele, Jeff, Katie and Amanda arrived from Boston. The house held sixteen people in all!

More to come!