Clark's First Solo Trip

Okay, so not completely solo, but his first trip without Mom and Dad!

Clark went to El Paso with Grandma and Grandpa Stuart to surprise his cousin Andrew for his 12th birthday. Clark was excited and a little nervous to fly. It has been about 3 years since the kids have flown. I was all ready to send him alone but due to Clark's apprehension, things were arranged so that Grandma and Grandpa would just catch a layover in Vegas. Uncle Charlie and Aunt JaNay were in on the plan but the "cousins" didn't have a clue.

Their flight arrived about 11:00 p.m. so JaNay had made a bed on the floor of Mathew and Joseph's room for Clark to just slip into. Obviously, the kids were sound asleep when Clark arrived so he quietly went to sleep and anticipated being woken up by shrieks and yells of surprise and laughter. And that is exactly what happened. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall in that room. Since I wasn't there, this story is "hearsay" but apparently Mathew rolled over and drowsily opened one eye and looked at Clark. He was a little confused and then realized who it was and immediately woke up, screaming, yelling, and basically freaking out. Andrew and Tommy heard the racket and came running in. They were all so excited to see Clark.

Charlie and JaNay let the kids stay home from school that day so they just had a good time playing, swimming, wrestling, dressing up like "white nerds" (Clark will have to explain that one), playing, and swimming even more. That night was their Father and Sons Campout so Clark and Grandpa got to go as well. They went somewhere in New Mexico to camp. The next morning, JaNay, Grandma and the girls drove out to meet them and they all went to White Sands National Park to play for the afternoon. That was a fun place that we also visited three years ago when we drove back to San Antonio from San Diego. It was a lot of fun. Miles and miles of white sand everywhere. You can buy sleds there and then you wax them and "surf" down the sand. It's great.

Clark came home early Monday morning and headed right off to school. He had a great trip and although he wished he could have stayed a little longer in Texas to play with those cousins, he did admit that he missed me and his brother and sisters. It was so fun for him to be able to surprise them and spend some time alone with Grandma and Grandpa during the flight. What a great little getaway!