Welcome Home, Patti!!!!

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Three weeks ago I pulled Patti and Eva apart in a filthy library parking lot, tears flowing, and I drove off with Eva, leaving Patti with her face against her car window wondering if she was doing the right thing, thinking this couldn't possibly be the right thing. -
Patti went to London for Maymester and took a course towards her Law degree across the pond. She hated leaving her "baby" and spent most of her time wishing she was home.
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Tom & I kept Eva for the three weeks and talked with Patti via Skype each night. The time really flew by. Marj, Eva and I drove to Charlotte the night before Patti's flight was expected and we hunkered down in Charlotte for a few days.
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We drove out to the airport with lots of welcome home signs and watched the planes come in for awhile. I picked a plane and told Eva "That's mommy's!!" She thought it quite possible that she saw mommy looking out the window.
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I agreed. Of course mommy saw you, you are in your bright red dress!! (and holding embarrassing signs!!) So we went into the airport and got ready for Mommy to arrive.

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We were so excited!!
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Now. Looking at the pictures, I am thinking: Carol Burnett's Culhanes.

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We even had Nana with us. Hope, hope, HOPE Patti will feel welcomed home!! (and not embarrassed out of her mind)

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Ahhhhh... the sweet hour of reunion. We had been posing for sign pictures and worrying about crossing security lines illegally when suddenly there appeared Patti. So we weren't really ready for her, but to send her back for a re-run probably wouldn't be nice..... so we just welcomed her and didn't get great pictures of it.

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Eva was so happy to see her. It was incredible.

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So once Patti got her luggage, it was suddenly HURRY time. M.O.V.E. it!!! Parking fees and all that. So we threw Nana into her chair all askew and took off running down the baggage claim area. She sat in her Huey chair wrong, but heck, who cares, just go, GO!! So dad held off traffic while Lisa yanked Nana across the street. Go, go, people, Just Go!

We got Patti, what more do you want? Want to spend another dollar on parking for criminey's sake??

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I'm tellin' ya, GO!
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We got across the street and into the parking garage. Patti threw Eva onto her suitcase and took off at top speed. Nanaa was still considering her purse and it's whereabouts. Dad was pushing her at breakneck speed towards the van. I was.... photographing the whole thing, of course. Go, people, GO!

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We didn't quite make it. You see, the first half hour of parking is free. We clocked out at 36 minutes. Dang. We had to pay a dollar for the additional time beyond 30 minutes. Everybody relax. It's too late, we were too late, we got suckered. It's over.

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Make Nana comfortable. Do we have her purse? Buckle up the baby. Let's just go get something to eat. It's a'right. I'll pay. "No, I'll pay." "No, it's OK, I'll pay." "Hey, she's MY daughter, I'll pay the $1. parking fee." "No, honey, it's my fault we were slow with Nana, I'll pay." "No, it's MY van, I'll pay."

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Crazy. We're all crazy.

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Anyway, while dragging behind, pretending we weren't part of this family, I did get a cute photo of my mother with her mother. Mom held Eva's "I love you, mommy!!" sign and cuddled with her mama, Nana. Awwwwww!