Our train was supposed to leave this morning at 8:30. This meant getting there about 7:30 which meant getting up (and getting everyone else up) at 6:00.
We were doing fairly well, with only one early-morning grumpy incident. We were dressed, breakfast had been eaten, and the van packed. Then Amtrak called to tell us our train had been delayed – by an hour and a half.
I suppose I should be thankful Amtrak even called. I should be thankful Amtrak called at 7 am instead of 4 am. Mostly I’m just thankful they waited until our four over-excited children were good and awake, 90 minutes earlier than usual, to really make sure we have an enjoyable train experience together.
This is my second time on Amtrak; the first time we left the girls with Grandma and Grandpa and took the train from Quincy to Chicago. It was the first time we’d left the girls with anyone overnight and I was pregnant with Millie at the time.
All was going smoothly until about an hour or so into our trip when the train came to a stop in God Knows Where, IL. A tornado had blown through the previous night and dropped a grain silo right across the track. We stopped in a pretty quaint little town, but were instructed to stay close by the train station because the train could be taking off any minute and when it was ready, you had to be on it within 5 minutes or risk being left in God Knows Where, IL.
Four hours later, we were ready to roll. Needless to say, my pregnant self didn’t really enjoy being stuck in a train station for four hours, one hour into a five-hour train trip.
Come to think of it, I’m now a lot more thankful to Amtrak. I much prefer waiting here at home than with four really excited children in a train station this early in the morning. I guess it’s all perspective.
Chicago, here we come (in a couple of hours)!
Half-Pint House 