Yesterday morning my alarm went off at 4:15AM. After a fast shower and attempt to put myself together for the day…as best you can during the 4AM hour on a Monday morning, I wrote notes for the kids for them to find on the kitchen counter long after I left.
Thankfully my coffee making husband had set the timer on the grind and brew coffeemaker. I had a large mug of coffee to drink and he also received a note of appreciation next to the coffeemaker.
Coffee and XM radio were my essentials to keep me going in my first leg of the Monday marathon as drove 90 miles across the prairie to the airport.
The pheasants and deer wandered nearby the winding road as daybreak came across the prairie. I didn’t hit any and kept going.
By 7:45AM, I was wheels up on my first leg of four flights for the day. Nathan and I had texted. He had the girls at Lori’s daycare already. Hunter was off to school for his field trip. All was well at home.
My Monday marathon continued and it is always easier for me to keep going when I know things are home are peaceful and smooth which Nathan is superb at making happen.
I ran through the Minneapolis airport twice yesterday during my marathon. I had four cart drivers that were empty, with out any passengers nearby, tell me they couldn’t give me a ride. I kept running.
I made all my flights with both St. Louis flights, to and from, being delayed due to mechanical.
Despite being deplaned, reboarded and a horribly lost cab driver that had to take his directions from me on where to drive in St. Louis, I was only fifteen minutes late for my lunch meeting.
My lunch meeting was a success.
My afternoon in our St. Louis office was productive.
By 6PM, I was back at the St. Louis airport with the second mechanical delay, sucking down a grande iced latte to give me some much needed energy to keep me going on my Monday marathon track.
I called home to talk to the kids and promised Miss E I would come to give her kisses long after she was asleep. Hunter and Anika of course got their own hugs and kisses too.
After yet another run across the MSP airport and then another delay. This time it was not mechanical but rather we waited for two late passengers to get on our last flight back to the prairie. By 11PM, we made it to my home prairie airport.
I bought a large Coke Zero from the vending machine at the prairie airport and began my last leg of the Monday marathon, winding once again over the dark prairie road.
For those of you who don’t “tweet” on Twitter, it is a social media platform that I often use. My sister noticed I posted on Twitter I was driving on the long prairie road home and she called me to keep me awake. The beauty of social media! I love it. Then Nathan called me to keep me going. As I lost phone service going over the hills, I was grateful once again for XM radio to keep me company.
At 12:38AM, I crossed the finish line, pulling into our garage.
The Monday marathon was complete.
My husband was waiting for me, working away at the dining room table.
My kiddos were fast asleep, cozy in their beds.
Being a traveling, working mom is full of rewards.
Yesterday coming home was the best one of all and the perfect end to my Monday marathon.
All photos are from Google Images.
The one good thing is that you were able to sleep in your own cozy bed at the end of that long day.
Joe Lukens- If you ever want someone to keep you up at night i am up till 1 at least every night so just give me a call
Katie–Just READING about your travel marathon made me tired! Glad you are home, safe-and-sound.
Uff-da!!!
Jen S.