In summary
You've probably been up nights wondering when I was going to get around to summarizing my recent vacation. Well, the wait is finally over!
I've enumerated the events for easy reference.
1) Two hours on the phone with airlines because tickets are messed up.
2) Cara's back spasm (in the ER until 2AM); Char reads the chest Xray
3) Kids listed as stand-by for flights; we end up scattered around the planes. We appeal to other passengers, one of whom replies, "That's really too bad for you."
4) Lost luggage
5) Leah breaks her leg on first day of skiing; Char reads the MRI (this is the clear #1 winner on the list).
6) Char lacerates scalp while snowshoeing (no loss of consciousness)
7) Joshua gets taken off the mountain in an ambulance; Char reads the head CT.
8) Flight from Chicago to Pgh flies all the way to Pgh, then turns around and flies all the way back due to snow conditions.
9) Lost luggage (yes, again).
10) Perilous drive home; we witness 2 accidents and see dozens of cars off the road.
11) Six inches of snow on driveway. Well-meaning neighbors come with machinery, but only manage to pack down the snow and demonlish a driveway light.
12) One dead pet; Tristan is on death's door, vomiting his guts out, but recovers (we need better pet sitters).
13) Leah and Char get a stomach virus that causes them to compete with the snake.
14) Downed tree across the top of the driveway. Beloved SCA friends who happen to see this use chainsaw and child labor to clear the driveway before we even see it.
So, in the end, I guess it turns out that we are blessed. Blessed by good friends and the hope that nothing permanent will come of the past few weeks.