I was not going to cry..

 If you look out that window, you will see a plane. 

Sam was recently deployed to Washington DC for training.

We took him to the airport to see him off. It was an early flight. 

We were awake and heading to pick up Sam at 3am. His flight took off at 6am.

We go to the airport. Sam had his itinerary, flights were all on schedule and he was well packed.

As he went to go board the plane, he was told his tickets were not approved.

Somewhere along the way, the Army did not approve the flight. The lady helping us said "this happens, about five times a year here at the Chippewa Valley Airport." 

I can help you. She shared with Sam she has seen it before and knows it will not be the last time she will see this. She told him to get on the phone to his Sergeant right away and call the travel hotline used for the Army.

He begins to do all this .. as the 6am flight he was to be on to Chicago heads off to Chicago. 

We have until 11:45 am to try to get things worked out before the next flight to Chicago leaves.

He calls all the people he has to call. 

Gets frustrated becasue it is 11:30 and still things have not been cleared.

All this time we have been in the airport. All this time I can do nothing to help. 

This is all out of my control.  

I want to call the Sergeants. 

I want to buy him a ticket so he can just get with the rest of his group that are going to the training. 

I can do nothing. 

This is hard for me. Me, mom, who usually can fix most things that have gone wrong.

Glued army men, matchbox cars and stitched holes in favorite T-Shirts.

Me, mom, who made favorite cookies to have ready after school, chicken soup when he did not feel well and helped study for tests.

Me, mom, can do nothing but sit next to my son. Smile when he rolls his eyes and shakes his head that he has yet to get any answers.

It was 11:45 and the lady yelled,"Sam TePaske" we have tickets.

He went through the security. He was in the loading area, he called me,"Mom, don't leave yet, something is still not correct." The doors closed to the area to get on the plane. And there sat Sam.

Tears ran down my face. He was so looking forward to going to the training.

He did everything right to get ready for it. He even called his Sergeant the night before and asked if he needed to do anything else regarding his tickets. He was flying out of Eau Claire and the rest of the group was flying out of Madison. They would be meeting up in Chicago.

He already was not meeting them in Chicago. 

He still had time to get to DC for the start of the training. If we could just get him on that plane.

At 12:00 the lady opened the door and escorted him to the plane. 

He was off to Chicago.

I would love to end the story here ..

photo of Chicago taken by Sam from the plane. 

In Chicago, his tickets did not work to get on the plane to DC.

More calling, more waiting.

He finally made it to DC. 

10:00 pm

His buddies met up with him. They are all together and his first day of training was Monday.

When I spoke with Sam on Sunday night after he got settled, he told me that the Sergeant he is with in DC would not give up on getting him to DC on time for the training. Sam said "Mom, don't worry, Sergeant W is a good guy, he will take care of me." and "Mom, thank you for sitting with me all morning."

 ♥