When Plans Fall Through (For the Better)

Well, I am no longer going to London next week. Plans fell through in a number of ways. In just a few days, I went from not having a place to stay anymore to my return flight begin canceled by the airline "due to unforeseen circumstances" (with a full refund as an option given by the airline). But in between those two happenings I was having second thoughts on going, anyway. It was really on Monday, just a few nights ago, that I was lying awake in bed wondering why I was going off to London for a week by myself to gallivant around when I could go home my last week of summer and spend it with my family. Also, the past few weeks I've been trying to figure out how I was going to get home and visit my grandpa, who's probably not going to be around for much longer. I had already booked my trip to London before my mom told me the most recent doctor's prediction. I couldn't see how I could swing both London AND find time, especially once I start school, to go home. I was planning on making it happen somehow, anyway, but this has all really turned out for the better.

I will now be on a plane THIS Sunday bound for H-O-M-E, and I couldn't be happier. London's not going anywhere. And the fact that the airline is going to refund at least the return portion of my ticket (maybe all of it, I'm not sure. The woman on the customer service line was so quick with the transaction), just tells me that this is more than mere coincidence. At least, I like to think so. And isn't my grandpa so handsome!?He's definitely more important to me than a trip to London. I recently began a tradition of calling him every Sunday afternoon as I walk over to the Hudson River/Riverside Park. He always greets me with a warm "Hello, Elizabeth!" and we talk for about 15 minutes or so. He asks how I'm enjoying New York and we talk of our similarity in enjoying travel. He's been so many places I can only dream of visiting, like Greece and Italy! And he's always sure to thank me so much for calling him. It's more than my pleasure to do so, I don't think he realizes. I just wish I would've started this phone call tradition a long time ago, though I have made it a point to visit him every time I've gone home since I moved to New York. And I didn't think I was going to make it home again until Christmas. When we took this photo below in June, I didn't want to think it could be my last visit with him, but I had to be realistic.Needless to say, I'm very much looking forward to this visit and am more than grateful the last week of the best summer of my life will be spent with my family.