The Christmas Miracle, Followed by My Great Christmas Crash

Our Christmas miracle

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

Almost two weeks ago, I set out with my four boys to fly from California to Georgia for Christmas.

We managed to arrive in one piece, with all of our luggage, but that was not the miracle.

Or maybe that was also a miracle. ha!

As I shepherded the four of them, plus myself, our five back-packs, and countless electronic gadgets through the security machines, we followed the rules very nicely, and I counted the heads of my children 300 times.

“Is this medicine 3mL?” the agent asked me, referring to my son’s seizure medication.

“Oh, I have no idea, but he has to have it.” (Don’t mess with Mama.)

“Yes, of course,” he replied.

Liquids and laptops have to go into separate security bins for the people to screen, so we segregated out all of my things.

“I’m flying alone with these four boys,” I made sure the agent knew.

For this to work, I needed a little extra assistance.

“Oh. Okay,” then he turned to the metal detector lines next to us, and he said, “Hold the lines.” The other passengers stepped back while they ushered my ducklings and I through the metal detectors, as a solid group. I was thrilled! I have never gotten through airport security so quickly!

The boys all grabbed their things, I grabbed my things, and we were on our way.

We only had to wait about 30 minutes at our gate before boarding began. JD and Daniel were happy to stand and look at the planes out the window. Caleb and Joshua were sitting in chairs, completely absorbed in their electronic devices. I chatted a bit with other folks near the windows.

The boarding agent called for all passengers who “need extra time or assistance in boarding.”

As soon as I heard it, I wasted no time whatsoever.   I pulled JD and Daniel down from their window ledge, and said, “Time to go, boys!”

They jumped up, zipped their packs, and followed me.

I rushed my 4 little ducklings along, and as I approached the boarding area, there was the usual multiple clumps of people waiting for their turn. I looked at the young man standing in the front of said line. I didn’t want to appear rude by just shoving my way in front of him.

“Are you one of the people needing the extra help?” I asked him.

He chuckled, “No, no.”

“Oh. Well, I sure am! C’mon, boys!” I said as I stepped in front of him, followed by my adorable straight line of four little fellas.

In fact, as I was just about to hand our five tickets to the ticket lady, JD excitedly ran straight on ahead, right past the ticket counter, right past me, and right on down the jetway….or whatever you call that hallway thing that leads to the airplane.

Yikes! I quickly ran over, scooped him up, and apologetically went back to the ticket lady.

“I’m so sorry,” I said. “We’re with the needing the extra help group.”

She nodded. “Five?”

“Yes.”

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you!!”

No sooner than we had gotten ourselves arranged in our seats, I had a terrible. horrifying. realization.

I dug through my book bag, looking for my laptop, but wait. Where was my laptop?

Uh-oh….in the bin…beside…the medicines…and JD’s sippy cup. I did a quick check. Yes, all of those things were missing, and I knew exactly where I had left them. At security.

By the way, that’s not the kind of medication you can just quit cold turkey. There’d be headaches to suffer from that sort of thing.

Nooooooo! So I did what I always do when I have a problem.

That’s right. I called Alan. Poor Alan. He was already on the highway headed home. He said that I should ask the crew if they could help me retrieve all that stuff before we took off.

Yes, I should think of these things on my own, but no, it will never happen. I am not the person you want around in an emergency.

I flagged down the flight attendant. I told her what had happened as quickly as I could.

Raquel was her name, and she is one of my new favorite people. It was a Christmas miracle, I tell you.

“Okay! I’ll tell them we have to have this medication before we take off, or he will have a seizure on the plane!!” Raquel said.

She rushed off. I continued helping JD and Daniel get settled. I said a prayer or two, and I decided not to fret. No need. Fretting cannot help. Only Providence, Raquel, and the TSA could help us now.

And just like that, she was back, carrying all of it!

The Macbook, the meds, and the sippy cup, all present and accounted for!

Pure gratitude and elation! I was so relieved! I thanked her profusely. I handed her a wad of cash as I deplaned in Georgia, I wrote Delta airlines and told them that Raquel deserves a promotion and a pay raise.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, and thank you, Raquel!

*******The Christmas Crash**********

My parents were waiting at the airport to pick us up, and I don’t know what I would have done without them. The next day my persistent, chronic, manageable level of hip pain morphed into a roaring, uncontrollable monster, and the rest of Christmas vacation has been a blur for me. I do not know what is wrong with my hip. I did get a steroid shot. I thought, at the very least, it will help my bursitis, and it did help for a few days.

But then I took a four-hour car trip, and the problem is back. I can’t sit down but for a few minutes, lying in bed at night is the worst, stairs are torture, but walking around doesn’t bother me at all.

I will be returning to California with a newly heightened resolve to solve my hip problem, but it is also one of those things that I will have to trust God for. Thankfully, I am in good hands. The Lord cares about our pain.

Hebrews 4:15

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

14 comments

  • WOW…April this was quite the airport experience. I can’t even imagine the sinking feeling when you realized that laptop, medicine and sippy cup were all missing. Thank the Lord for all the Raquels in the world.

    I am sincerely sorry to read about this hip situation. Thank you for sharing this situation so honestly, and pray that the right treatment or course of action would come your way to alleviate the suffering.

    ~Carl~

  • A really great post. I could see the Lord’s Hand nudging you along through that airport and onto that plane, and I have added my prayers to what I feel certain are many more asking for relief of that pain that is trying so hard to bring you down. You did a really great job getting everyone boarded with no major disasters, and now I hope the rest of this season will bring with it the comfort and care that you so richly deserve.Merry Christmas, and may your New Year be truly Blessed.

  • Oh wow that is a miracle, but I am so sorry to hear about your pain! I hope yes indeed you can resolve this problem when you get home. God speed and Merry Christmas my friend 🙂

  • April, have you had an MRI done on your back? I am just wondering if the pain in your hip could be from your sciatic nerve in your back. Sometimes, if it is inflamed, it will cause pain in your hip radiating down one leg. I know this will sound totally insane, but I had a really bad experience when I was still working. As the day went on, the pain in my lower back and hip got worse and worse. I finally called someone to come to the store and relieve me so that I could go home. I just wanted to go to bed. I tried to lie down when I got there and immediately sat back up, almost screaming in pain. I went to the ER and saw the doctor there. I explained how the pain had progressed. He looked at me and said, “Have you been having problems with your ears?” ……….My ears? Seriously? What can my ears have to do with this?…..but……”Yes, I have.” He looked in my ears. I had a very bad ear infection. He explained that the infection was causing inflamation in my back and in my sciatic nerve. He gave me a shot of antibiotics and a steriod shot, along with a prescription for more antibiotics. I felt better almost immediately…… Strange, but true. lol

    • This post makes me want to try Mucinex and see if that helps. Mom told me this story a while back. It’s quite a testiment to that particular doctor too. I guarantee you my military health clinic ‘doctors’ would never figure that one out.

  • First, glad you made it to your family’s home for Christmas! Secondly, I’m sorry about your hip pain. I hope that you are able to find the answers you need in order to live pain free. I can only imagine how hard it is to do all the things you need to do while being in pain. Third, I think we would make excellent travel buddies! I am great in emergencies, not so much at herding kids through crowded places. I get nervous just taking my three to Walmart alone. I have never flown on my own with them. You could do the herding and I could do the emergency handling. See? Perfect travel partners, 🙂

  • So glad you made it to Georgia in one piece and with all of your belongings! Kudos for traveling with the boys alone. I hope you are able to get some relief from your hip pain so you can enjoy your holiday.

  • WarmSocks

    Hooray for the help with retrieving your belongings! 😀

    Hip: Occasionally a second steroid shot is needed. Also, find out which steroid they’re using when you get injections. My family doctor uses kenalog; rheum & ortho use depo medrol; I find that the kenalog works much better for me (and it costs less!).. Next, have you been to physical therapy yet? They can give you exercises. My personal experience is that PT a couple times a week plus a printout of some exercises that gets tossed with all the other papers sitting on the countertop is not nearly as effective as actually doing those prescribed stretches and exercises every day at home. Also, on bad days I take both 800mg ibuprofen and 1000mg acetaminophen — not medical advice, just personal experience, fwiw. I found that getting two egg-crate foam things to put on top of my mattress is easier on my hips. Hot packs can help, too. Hang in there!

    • Hmmm. Thank you for all this info. I need all the help I can get. Maybe a second shot would help. I’ve been in physical therapy for 7 months now. I have not been the best about doing my stretches at home. Reading this is good motivation to do my exercises more faithfully. You sound like my mom with the 2 mattress toppers. I laughed out loud when I saw her bed. I had not realized my hip and shoulder problems were genetic.

  • I hope your pain gets better soon! You are a rock star for traveling with all four boys alone. I would be very intimidated to take my three kiddos on a plane alone 😉

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