Imagine your worst airline travel story. You know, the ones where the news crews are reporting from the airport and angry travelers are complaining about delays and cancellations. Now imagine that times 8 kids and 7 adults. Here is a summary of our travels in the image below and then let's see what we can learn from this.
*Getting angry at others accomplishes nothing.
*You will get further with persistence patience and kindness.
*Always behave in a way that you know you will be proud of when you reflect back on the situation later.
*You can only control the controllables.
*Don't waste time asking why...solve the problem then reflect to make changes.
*Stay hydrated and fed.
*Lack of sleep is a mood wrecker. It amplifies every emotion you have.
*Kids are resilient and they are watching us.
*Compression socks are the real deal.
*Always pack an extra set of clean underwear in your carry on.
*Never say never.
*There is always something worse.
*Grateful lists help.
*Newark airport is an awful place to sleep.
*NYC by taxi at night is beautiful
*LaGuardia is a mess of people, but once past security it's a better place to sleep.
*Placing blame doesn't help anything.
*You might have to lost a battle to win a war.
*You can do hard things.
Here is the grateful lis that my car of four created!
❤️ GRATEFUL LIST (thank you Sophie for being our recorder) 1) Cup holders 2) Rental cars being available (the last 2!) 3) Being home by dinner....finally 4) Some sleep/Showers 5) New NYC and Chicago shirts, and fun getting them to match! 6) Good food at the hotel restaurant. 7) Phone/GPS (we named it "Raoul" 8 ) Starbucks/McDonalds 9) Being able to go anywhere and know the water won't be fizzy (and okay to drink) 10)Yellow and purple flowers in Iowa (pretty scenery) 11)Neck Pillows (Jeremiah) 12) Seeing the Statue of Liberty and Freedom Tower on our taxi ride from Newark to LaGuardia 13) Health/medicine . "at least it isn't cancer!" (Cadance) 14)"I look better than this...well.... all the time" (Mrs. Smith)😆 15. Dodged a ticket! 16. MOST of us have clean underwear (those who don't will stay anonymous!) 17 Hudson News store at Chicago O'Hare for necessities 18 Our luggage was found and retrieved (thanks Kelly) 19"Cold breakfast sandwich was still good!" (Ryal)_ 20 AC in 97F temps 21 "Do you guys have hair on your toes?" (Cadance) 22. Travel insurance and EF booking hotel and suggesting rental cars which, because we are fun and good and positive people, despite adversity, we made that the “escape room NY road trip of the year!