Our First Christmas with Liam

What a big series of misadventures we had trying to make Christmas happen.  And all of it thanks to the crazy snow in the Northwest this year!  

We were scheduled to fly out of Seattle on Thursday the 18th.  When it started snowing Tuesday we thought it would be better to leave on Wednesday afternoon to go down to Seattle so that we didn't miss the flight trying to get down there early Thursday morning.  So, Wednesday at about 1:00 PM we had the car packed and ready to go. Edwin told me to go start the car and load Liam up and he would be out in a minute. So I started the car and headed back in to get Liam, but when I went back out all of the doors were locked, with the car running.  Surly Edwin has another key, I thought.  But the look on his face when I told him was answer enough.  We started calling every locksmith in the book.  The standard answer was a little chuckle and a "no way, not in this weather" from everyone we called. One guy actually said that if we could get his van unstuck from his driveway he would be happy to come unlock our car! Three hours later a nice guy came and got the car unlocked in about 10 seconds and we were finally on our way. 

With the snow and nasty road conditions it took us about 5 hours to drive to Seattle (normally a 1 1/2 hour drive) and it seemed like there was another accident every 100 yards. We made it to my grandma's a little worse for the wear, but our spirits were still high. Thursday morning we watched the weather news all morning, amazed at the madness on the roads, glad we were flying. But after parking our car at Master Park, hopping on a shuttle and finally arriving at the airport, our flight had been cancelled and it was a three hour wait to talk to someone at the ticket counter! We sat down and started to think about what we were going to do when Edwin had a stroke of genius. He went outside to the Southwest check-in stand and no one was out there because it was so cold.  So he booked us on the 9 AM flight for Friday morning. Our spirits were a little lower, but we still had hope even though it was still snowing furiously.

We got back on the shuttle and barely made it back to Master Park through the blizzard and several accidents and decided it wasn't safe to try and drive back to my Grandma's house. So we stayed at the closest hotel to the Master Park lot, the glorious Red Roof Inn.  I should have known what to expect from the name, after all, we have a rusty roofed shed with tarp sides up at the plantation in Guatemala called the Red Roof Inn. But beggars can't be choosers, so we took the very last available room (smoking room, I might add) and settled in for the night. Yep, it is still snowing at this point. 

Friday morning, with our hopes a little higher, we headed back to the Master Park, on to the shuttle and back to the airport. It had stopped snowing in Seattle, but it was FREEZING.  We go checked in, headed through security and to our gate with breakfast in hand (no small task with a three month old). Things were looking good until 30 minutes before our flight was supposed to leave. All of the sudden the screen flashed "Delayed". Apparently, Spokane Airport was closed for plowing. On a side note, my parents were in Spokane feeling just as frustrated as we were. So I hated to call them and tell them there was another delay. They were already waiting at the airport for their little grandson with a nursery all set up back home. So I called them and told them things were delayed again and all of our hopes began to sink a little lower. 

An hour and a half and a major baby meltdown later, the flight attendant started the boarding announcements.  Finally! Two minutes later she came back on with a new announcement that the whole airport was temporarily shut down because someone did something stupid at the security checkpoint.  You think I am kidding right?  Nope, this is how it actually happened. Another hour later we board the plane and start the taxi down the runway. Twenty minutes of sitting on the runway later the plane turns around and we are told that the Spokane Airport is shut down.  The de-icers are broken and they aren't letting any planes leave or land.  Flight cancelled.

With tears in my eyes, I tell Edwin "I am done." There were 100 people on the standby list for the flight that we were on and they will all stack up all day today and all day tomorrow.  There is no way we will be able to get a flight, and if we don't head back to Bellingham before it starts snowing again, we'll be trapped at the Red Roof Inn for Christmas!  The forecast at this point was snow for the next 10 days.  We called my parents and told them we weren't coming.  I couldn't drive back home only to drive back down and try to catch more flights and so on and so forth.

This left all four of us totally depressed, but there was nothing we could do.  Or was there? In the brief moment of sun on Friday afternoon we were driving north on I-5 about to pass the I-90 exit we made the spit decision to try to drive to Spokane (normally a four hour drive). We stopped in North Bend for chains, window washing fluid, gas, food, diapers, extra formula and water incase we were stranded somewhere and headed out with our nerves as tight as rubber bands. We didn't tell my parents because we didn't want them to worry and we didn't want to shatter their hopes again if we felt like the roads were too dangerous and had to turn around. 

By the time we got to Ellensburg the temperature was -7 outside and the old '89 lancruiser heat couldn't keep up.  I was sitting in the backseat with Liam (who was bundled in a million blankets) feeding him, trying to stay warm under a big comforter I was so glad we kept in the car. Liam was being such a trooper!  I am so grateful for his little attitude. 

It took us 9 hours to make the drive, but we finally pulled into Spokane, my parents none the wiser at this point. We pulled up to the house, put Liam in his car seat on the porch, rang the doorbell and hid around the corner. The moment they opened the door was so priceless, I will never forget it.  It was Hallmark movie caliber. 

After all that, we had a great time in Spokane for Christmas. It never stopped snowing (I am not exaggerating) and I rarely changed out of my Pajamas. Sounds nice huh?  We deserved it! Here are some of the pictures:

Grandpa, Liam and Edwin relaxing after a long few days

Liam compared to the depth of the snow along the driveway

Edwin, Liam and Grandma in the freezing cold

Isn't he cute?

A winter hat from Grandma and Grandpa.  Poor kid.