Even though she wasn’t due to arrive until December 15th, our little princess decided to make her debut a bit early and appeared on the 9th. Our plans had been made to meet her on the 22nd, and due to some prior commitments, we decided not to change our original plans.
The morning of the 22nd, I was filled with great anticipation! I could not wait to see her face, to touch her hand, to hear her voice. But the fates would not allow us to easily reach our goal.
Due to board a 12:55 flight to Detroit, we were arrived at the gate only to find out that the flight had been delayed. Finally, taking the two last seats on the plane, we stowed our bags and took our seats. I anxiously looked at my watch several times. What could be delaying us?
It was then that the captain came on the PA system and announced that we were “overweight.” Too much fuel had been loaded on the aircraft. The solution was to burn off some fuel on the tarmac. So we sat and sat while the engines revved and revved. Finally, after almost two hours, we took off. We arrived too late for our connecting flight to Amsterdam and had to take a later flight. The time just crawled by!
Finally, we boarded the plane, only to find out that our departure would be delayed by thirty minutes because of an airport curfew. I kept thinking that my baby girl would be finishing her first year of college before I ever saw her!
I slept a few hours on the flight, too anxious and too excited to really rest. As soon as I could, I called my daughter after we landed. She said that the baby had had a rough night and that they were in the midst of a feeding, would it be possible for us to take the train to Amersfoort! Another delay!
We bought our train tickets and waited for what seemed like an eternity for the train to arrive. The forty minute train ride felt like it took forty days. My son-in-law met us at the end of the train platform and led us to their parked car. No baby, and no daughter. They were back at the house. Bram told me it was less than a ten minute car ride to the house, but it seemed like ten hours.
As he pulled up to the curb in front of the house, I don’t even think he had the keys out of the ignition, I was out of the car and on my way to the front door!
I rang the bell, and then impatiently went to look in the front window. There she was nestled on a baby cushion sleeping soundly--the most beautiful sight in the world.
My daughter opened the door, and I pushed her aside as I very sweetly said, “Oh, hello.” I was on a beeline to the living room and that beautiful child. As soon as I touched her the floodgates broke loose. I swept her up in my arms and kissed her beautiful little cheeks at least a hundred times. The anticipation of the holiday, the anticipation of the great joy it brings…yeah, I felt that!
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