Home Sweet Home!!! :) There is nothing sweeter than being home with your family and friends. Jake is in heaven right now--as is his mom! :)
We left early in the morning on the shuttle van to the airport. We made great time, even with making a stop at another hotel to pick up another passenger. The other passenger and Jake had a nice talk on the way to the airport--he also served in the military a few years ago and served a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Getting checked in wasn't a problem. Going through security was easier than we thought it would be. Everyone was extremely helpful and respectful to us--especially to Jake. They had to run the wand over him and his wheelchair and also give him a pat down. We brought home with us his medal and coins (Jake received a Purple Heart and special coins)--which the man running the x-ray machine took extra special care of.
We then traveled to our gate and waited to board our flight. We were unsure that his wheelchair would make it into the airplane so he could transfer to his seat--but it did! We all (even the flight attendants and gate workers) were surprised that everything worked well and was easier than we thought. We gate checked his wheelchair after he was seated and off we went! Jake gave me a hard time falling asleep as we were taking off (I've been a very tired mom lately), but as I woke up after we were in the air, I looked over at him and here he was fast asleep!! I just started laughing--he, who was so excited to get home and wanted to stay awake during the flight, was so out of it that his head was down on his chest! He woke up, looked at me confused (I had a huge grin on my face), and then laid his head on my shoulder and slept for the remainder of the flight. He didn't even fully wake up until we landed in VT. I had to wake him to tell him that we were home. He said he couldn't believe he fell asleep--he was reading his book and didn't get to the third sentence before he was out! :)
We were the last ones off the plane and it took us longer getting off than getting on. :( We had a small difficulty with his wheelchair but he fixed the problem and got off the plane. He wheeled his chair as fast as he could because he saw waiting outside the gate area was dad, three of his sisters, six of his nieces and nephews, and two family friends. :) They were waving and had huge grins on their faces when they saw him. As I looked at Jake, he was also greeting them with a huge smile on his face. :) It was a very joyful and tearful reunion with his loved ones. We are finally home--where we should be--with people who love us.
We came directly home and just relaxed. There were wheelchair rides with the nieces and nephews. :) They even had to take turns pushing Jake around the house! :) It was so cute to see these kids having a wonderful time with their Uncle.
We decided to go out to dinner--Texas Roadhouse--to celebrate Jake's homecoming. As we were sitting there, two gentlemen came up and shook Jake's hand and thanked him for his service. They, too, were veterans (they were wearing their veteran baseball caps like Jake was wearing his), and one of them was also a receiver of a purple heart. The man who received the purple heart was very touched and told Jake that he and his wife were taking care of Jake's dinner. Jake was very grateful. When the waitress gave us our bill, she told us that the gentleman did pay for Jake's meal so she took it off our bill. What a wonderful gesture. We didn't expect anyone to do that. What a very sweet man.
The night drew on and some family members left. We spent some time playing a card game, talking and laughing. It's so good to be back home with those we love and who love us. Like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz--"There's no place like home!"
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