Plane Facts

We get to have Thanksgiving this year with all of our kids, except one. Sarah & Troy will be at our house for Thanksgiving break. Lucas & Lee will be in town. And Adam & Marisa will join us and also see Marisa's family, so that's great.

But Leah will be in New York.

I will absolutely enjoy the kids I have around.

But it won't stop me from missing the one who is absent.

I checked Expedia.com early last week, and it would cost $700 to get her a ticket to Minneapolis and back, and even then, she'd have to leave Minnesota early Saturday morning, because all the flights east on Sunday are full. And the flight would have two connections (Cleveland and Chicago). And of course, she'd still have to pay for the taxi or shuttle to-and-from JFK. So, that's not going to happen.

Though we've been on our way to being empty-nesters for a while, this is the first time we've not had Leah for a holiday. It was hard to miss Sarah for Thanksgiving last year, and it will be just as hard to miss Leah this year.

But once Thanksgiving is past, Christmas is right around the corner. Then we get to have her around for almost a month!

So, Steve, just hang on. You can make it!

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P.S. When I talked to her last, Leah knew exactly how many weeks, days and hours it would be until she arrives home for Christmas break. It made me smile [from the toes up.] And I do believe her anticipation is not solely because she'll be in the same state as her boyfriend. I think we parents & siblings have something to do with it.