After taking Sam to the airport, after writing yesterday’s blog, after crying until I fell asleep, waking to cry again…

My husband, daughter and I were in Sam’s room, a 3rd garage conversion, watching his TV because the family TV went kaplooey and it was the season premier of NCIS LA!  Bang, bang, bang on the door at the same time my husband’s phone rang.  “It’s Sam!” he hollered as I opened the door to Sam’s friends.  In they came and suddenly I saw Sam in a t-shirt and jeans with the phone to his ear telling his Dad, “Not quite.” 

We all screamed, of course, and hugged him, beat on him a little to make sure it was him, and asked, “What happened?”

He got to San Diego airport and was told his school was full and if he could, turn around and get a ticket home, or be placed on work detail for two weeks until the school had an opening.  He bought the ticket home.

“For how long?” we all asked.  “Fourteen days!!!!”

After learning that he’d called his girlfriend to get him at the airport at 3:30 p.m. and told her she couldn’t tell me, hearing that his friends who had seen me crying at 4:30 p.m. knew he was back and kept it from me, and knowing he had spent two hours at the gym before letting us in on this, I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or smack him!  But what a gift!  Fourteen days!!!!  That’s four more than we originally had with him!   I feel like I’ve won the lottery, only better!  

I’m not sure what all this means for his future, but I know that right at this moment, I’m going to enjoy the gift of his presence.  Praise God for this blessing!    I wish every mom could have this.