Caitlin had already informed me that she would just meet me at my hotel when I hit the ground in D.C. I said, "GREAT! And then we can just go get your bag and you can stay with me." She hurriedly informed me that she was planning on taking her bag to work with her that day and would already have it with her. WOW! I would say that she was just as excited to spend a little time with me as I was to spend time with her. However, I couldn't WAIT to see the expression on her face when she saw the surprise I was bringing her!!!
I was slightly delayed, but ended up getting to Atlanta in plenty of time to get some food and make my connecting flight. Caitlin called and texted along the way wanting to know my progress; where I was and about what time I would be landing. FINALLY around 5:30 p.m. I was sitting on the plane in D.C., waiting to get off. I called to let her know that I had landed and informed her that I would call her again after I retrieved my luggage and got in a cab. She told me that she was already walking to my hotel and would meet me in the lobby.
Since it was 5 O'clock-ish, the traffic was a little rough, but the sights of the monuments coming into town was exciting enough (along with my mounting excitement to get to Caitlin with her "surprise"...) to keep me occupied as I rode through town. And then I FINALLY arrived! My baby girl was sitting somewhere inside the hotel lobby waiting for me to arrive. After the bellman got my luggage and my taxi fee was paid, I quickly walked into the lobby (leaving the poor bellman to wonder WHAT IN THE WORLD I was doing...) and began scanning the room...THERE SHE WAS...a fuchsia blouse in a sea of black; that was my Elle! She was distracted as I walked over and said, "Hey!" Jumping up, she hugged me and began gathering her things together when...around the corner walked her "SURPRISE"!!!
HER DADDY!!!!! With mouth agape and tears suddenly pouring from her eyes, she threw her arms around his neck...and stayed there for quite a while. Actually, I believe that tears were coming from BOTH of their eyes. There was no better "SURPRISE" that I could have ever brought her to Washington, D.C. than her daddy. She had talked to him during the week and told him that she really wished that he was coming with me; he told her that he did too, but had too much work to do. Also, during the day, she had texted him several times telling him about little things she had planned for us to do during my visit. He played along so well, that she NEVER guessed that he was on his way to D.C. with me. Believe me, though, it was NOT an easy thing to do. We didn't tell anyone that he was coming with me until a couple of days ago AND, of course, there was that worry that I might let something slip that would clue her in to what was going on. In the end we pulled it off. WOW! How GREAT is it when you can actually surprise someone and really make their day!
So, here we are...in our Nation's Capitol...atop "The W Hotel"...overlooking the city and the Washington Monument, The Lincoln Memorial and The White House. Again, WOW! We are SO happy to be here with our little girl, in this BIG city...
Elle's BIG "SURPRISE"...Her DADDY!!!
No comments