We just came back from out trip to California last week. It was fantastic! We spent one day in Vegas. When you go to Vegas with "parent eyes" on, the whole city changes and after a short time on the strip visiting Coke and M&M we decided to head back to our hotel- off the strip.
The next few days we spent with my sister in California at Disneyland and California Adventure! We had a great time and Bryce was at the perfect age for it. Though he didn't get to go on every ride, we still had an awesome time. It is also amazing to go with someone who has a season pass so they are very cool with watching the munchkins! Thanks Sister!
The next few days, Danny had some meetings and we hung out at my sister's place in Glendora. The last day we drove back to Vegas to return the car and fly out the next morning. So starts my story of kindness of strangers!
Bryce, Mason and I flew on a buddy pass on a wonderful friend and on the way out to Vegas got the first flight we wanted. On the way back it was a completely different story! We attempted to fly out at 9:30am. Danny had a paid ticket since this was a working vacation so when they told us that we wouldn't get out on that flight, I told him to go on and we'd catch the next flight in 2 hours. No big deal. He felt horrible about leaving us but I reassured him we'd see him in a couple hours. If only that had been the case. So the next few hours we occupied ourselves with moving sidewalks, Vegas trinkets and watching planes. My phone charger was in my checked bag so my phone was starting to get low. A sweet couple next to me overheard this comment as I was talking to Danny and loaned me their charger til their plane took off- kindness act #1. The last flight out of the day was 6:40pm and I was confident we would get on so we grabbed some dinner. Bryce climbed out of the stroller and the whole thing tipped over with Mason included. I was so embarrassed and frazzled from a whole day at the airport and a kind business man behind me helped me pick up everything and then bought Bryce a milk that he was wanting- kindness act #2. The 6:40pm flight becomes completely full and only 2 of the 10 standby friends get on the flight to go home. My hopes come crashing down as now I am stuck in Vegas for the night with 2 little boys, a stroller, and a backpack. I tell Danny of my fate and he kindly books us a hotel with a shuttle service! I go to the store in the airport to buy a phone charger and accidentally buy one that doesn't connect to the wall just USB. This does me no good and they have a sign that says "all sales final". I go back and ask them if I can please exchange it for one that has an outlet with it and out of the graciousness of their hearts they return it and let me have another one= kindness act #3. While at this same store returning my charger, Bryce asks for a box of candy. At this point, I am frazzled and frustrated and just wanting to get to the hotel so I tell him later. The kind cashier says that if it's ok with me he can just have them- kindness act #4. The shuttle comes and picks us up and takes us to the hotel where the front desk lady greets us. Danny had told her our story and she was extremely sweet and caring. We were still kinda hungry and I had noticed a 7-11 nearby so I was heading out the front door when the front desk lady asked where I was going. I told her we desperately needed some mac and cheese :) and water and would walk to the 7-11. She told me this was not a good time to be walking alone out there so she would have the shuttle take me to the 7-11- kindness act #5.
The next morning we woke up at 4:30am to make sure we were there to make it on the 6:45am flight. We had to go through security again and doing it with 2 munchkins- one that can't walk through and a stroller that of course decided to act up is not how you want to start the morning. A super friendly businessman from Dallas helped me fold up my stroller and make sure everything was gathered on the other side - kindness act #6. So the flight has lots of open spots and I am super excited......but of course people start coming and the flight fills up and we don't make that flight. I call Danny and let him know that we're not coming yet but the next flight maybe. He was so sweet and was always so encouraging from afar. I don't know what I'd do without him!
So we don't make the next two flights by 1 seat. The gate attendant was so sad that we were short just one! It is now 11:45 and the next flight is at 3 and is already overbooked. Danny, knowing I was almost at whits end, rents a car for me and all I have to do is go pick it up. The gate attendant says there really is no chance I'll get on the 3pm flight but the 6:40pm flight has lots of space. She wasn't supposed to keep me on standby if I miss the 3pm flight but she said since it was my 2nd day in the airport if I missed it she would bump me to the 6:40 flight! She was my hero- kindness act #7. We get to the rental car place and head out on the open road- ok just down the street to the outlet mall and Target but it was wonderful to be out of the airport. We gathered supplies (diapers, candy, deodorant gum, a change of clothes for the boys) in case we still had one more night. We sat outside for a bit, the boys finally took a nap, we ate non airport food! It was just what I needed to get recharged to sit in the airport again. While we are heading back to the rental return, Danny calls and says to not freak out but it's crazy snowing in CO and just to be aware that they might be a delay or so. He said that if the flight was cancelled that evening due to weather that he was going to buy tickets so we for sure would be home on Tuesday! What a guy!
So at the rental place I explained that I wanted to return my car right now but if I had to stay another night that I wanted it back, they were slightly confused but very accommodating and told me I could have my car back if we had to stay another night- kindness act #8. We get to the gate and the flight is delayed from 6:40p to 7:10. All I wanted to know was if I was actually on the flight or not! I could have cared less if it was delayed 2 hours as long as we got on. A very sweet couple from Edgewater chatted with us and I told them our story. The man wanted to give up their seats so we could get out. I told him it didn't work that was with the list but he still went up to the gate to ask - kindness act #9. At about 6:50p, the gate attendant said that ALL standby could get on! It brought tears to my eyes! When I went up to get our tickets, she looked through the stack and gave us row 4 seats instead of the way back and she was so happy for us! Kindness act #10. We got on the flight and since I have two little munchkins, I always offer to pay for TV for the poor person stuck in our row. She declined because she was going to sleep. The flight attendant came around and she had a perk of free TV- she declined it but asked that he swipe Bryce's TV instead- kindness act #11. When the plane finally took off, I was beyond thrilled and so happy to come home to CO and to Danny. When we got off the plane, there was Danny. He had gotten a gate pass, went through security and came to meet us- kindness act #12. It was an interesting couple of days but it really helped restore my hope in humanity. People are really genuinely kind and generous and you never know how just a simple act of kindness can make a person's day!
