Rufio & Her Bloody Mary Drink

This morning I got up at 8:00, called & talked to Mom & Autumn, and then got ready for church.  It was fun to sit in sacrament meeting between Aunt Jeri & Jill.  After church we talked to Midge & Peggy for a while.  I’m so lucky to have such wonderful extended family.  We went back to Rufio’s, had some jam & toast for breakfast, & then got packed up & left at 11:00 to head up to Jeri’s.

Josh had made some lunch for us of bowtie chicken pasta served over a bed of fresh greens.  Jennifer stayed and sat and talked w/ us, which was so fun!  We just laughed and laughed and laughed.  Being around them does my heart/spirit so much good.  I am SO MAD at myself for not getting a picture of them!  So, this picture of their beautiful Rose of Sharon bush in the front yard will have to do instead.

Rufio & I left and headed up to the airport.  We turned in the rental car & asked them to call for a wheelchair so that Rufio wouldn’t have to walk very far b/c it tires her out so much.  Well come to find out, American Airlines are the only ones that won’t bring a wheelchair to the rental car area!!!

So, we walked really slow while she held onto me & I pulled our 2 carryons behind me.  The girl that had helped us at the rental car check in, Siu, came running up behind us just as we got to an abandoned wheelchair outside the airport.  I asked her if she was done w/ work and she said no, she was on her break and felt bad and wanted to help!!!  I was SO IMPRESSED that she would go way above & beyond the call of duty to help us.  I made sure to get her name so I can call & talk to her supervisor.

When I checked us in, the lady at the counter told us the 2:30 flight had been delayed & wouldn’t get there until 3:50 if we wanted to get on that flight (ours wasn’t until 5:45).  I said of course we’d like to go sooner.  She was even able to get us seats next to each other at the back of the plane so Rufio would be close to the restroom!  Come to find out, the flight wasn’t full, so we were able to spread out & have an extra seat between us.  We were able to zoom to the front of the line for security b/c Rufio was in a wheelchair.  We were also the first ones to board the plane.  Flying w/ Rufio sure has its perks!

Our aisle was right across from one of the exit doors where the flight attendants sat during take off/landing & where they prepared the drinks & ice.  The guy flight attendant, Aiden, noticed that poor Rufio was so scared during take off.  She closed her eyes and just held my hand.  When it came time for us to order drinks, I said I wanted Cranberry juice & Rufio said she wanted a Bloody Mary.  Aiden made a surprised face but said OK.  When he handed us our drinks, he gave Rufio 2 of those small bottles of alcohol w/ her Blood Mary Mix.  I started laughing so hard & told him she meant just the spicy tomato drink, not the alcohol part.  We all got a good laugh out of it & I was teasing him and asking him why he was trying to get my 87 year old Grandma drunk.  He said she wanted to take the edge off b/c she was nervous!  GOOD TIMES!

There were a few patches of turbulence b/c there was a big rainstorm over most of northern Texas.  Every time the  plane trembled, Rufio would close her eyes and shake her head.  We didn’t really get to talk much b/c we were right by the jets and it was so loud we had to yell.  So, she tried to sleep & I read most of Tuck Everlasting.  We were both so relieved when we landed.

There was a wheelchair waiting for Rufio as soon as we walked off the plane.  It was nice to just have carry ons and not have to wait for our luggage.  Mom & Autumn were there to pick us up & even had warm homemade soup for us to eat.  We stopped by my work to pick up my car & then they went their way & Autumn & I came home.  It was so good to see my little bug again, b/c I had missed her so much.

I got her to bed & then unpacked and relaxed and watched some TV.  It was such a wonderful whirlwind weekend of family & friends & food.  The best kind!