Under the worst of circumstances, we were afforded the opportunity to visit Bill’s hometown of Grande Prairie, Alberta. Saying goodbye to Bill’s Gramma Vi wouldn’t be easy, but having the entire Hauer/Miller clan together was sure to be the best way to say our goodbyes!

So, in complete opposite fashion from our first babymoon, we packed up our winter gear and quickly ordered snow boots (thanks Amazon Prime). Flight plan: Louisville to Chicago, Chicago to Calgary, Calgary to Grande Prairie.

Musings:

• Grande Prairie is a two hour plane ride from Calgary. On a turboprop. The airport has one gate for arrivals and departures. Only slightly bigger than what I’d seen on Northern Exposure.
• Jack continued to prove that his passport was money well spent; the kid knows how to travel. Despite not getting him his own ticket, we were able to have him in his carseat in his own seat on all but the turboprop plane. Praise.
• An inch on an airport map roughly translates into a mile. (or it certainly feels like one). After a late departure from Louisville, we had to run from one terminal to the other. Looking at the airport map upon arrival we were instantly blessed, there was just this “inch-long” walkway separating our arrival gate from our departure gate. While I was winded — I was 25 weeks pregnant — Bill got the worst of it: carrying the unwieldy carseat and Jack and a couple of carry-ons. We were out of shape and made it to our new gate to find out that they had just delayed the flight.
• The trip coincided with Jack’s new-found love of talking all. the. time. And by talking, I mean incessant urgent babble — which usually peaked around breakfast time. Of course, due to the time difference, that meant it started around 5 am.
• Confirmed: sledding and the Hauers do not mix. Or maybe it is my presence. Up until this point, Bill and I hadn’t been sledding together since 2005. And for good reason, on “take one” down the hill behind Miami’s Alumni Hall, Bill flew off the newly purchased sled.  We spent the evening in the ER. And Bill spent the next 6 weeks with a broken collarbone and having me apply his deodorant. Needless to say, when Bill and his sister, Sarah, found some broken and neglected plastic “sleds” in the trashcan on our walk through the park — I was hesitant and took it upon myself to retell the ill-fated date story…this time, it was Sarah who ended up breaking something. Never again I say.
• Round robin card games and curling. By the end of 5 days, I understood both.
• Jack thought this vacation was amazing — unlimited use of “i” devices. Caden and Mason showed him a few new tricks I’m certain.

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Many thanks to Doug and Bonnie, and our gracious hosts Elaine and Glenn, for making it possible.