Giving Thanks for Life’s Little Surprises

Our Thanksgiving adventure began before we even left the house. The night before we were to leave we learned our flight would be delayed by four hours. When that time was extended to seven, we knew we would have an unexpected overnight in Denver.

As fate would have it, this layover became the fall getaway we never had time to take. We got to stay in a hotel with our kids, no obligations until the next morning, and an evening full of fun (restaurant food!  pool time!) awaited us, all expenses paid by the airline.

We completely underestimated the accommodations we would have, even though it was a “my bad” on the part of the airline. Especially when customer service offered us not one but three rooms, so each member of our family could have their own bed.  The place must be cheap, right?  So it was a complete surprise when our shuttle pulled up to a massive building that looked like a cruise ship.   These were upscale digs and met the criteria for fancy:  a restaurant brunch instead of a complementary waffle station, Aveda skin and haircare products in the bathroom (swiped those) and at the in-room coffee station, organic tea bags (yes, I pocketed those, too).

And the lobby was jaw-dropping.  Glass elevators.  Sleek, European-style lounging chairs and tables.  A water feature providing visual and auditory peace of mind sans the swimming pool smell.  It was a big-city, we’re-not-in-Kansas-anymore experience.

Our kids knew this was something special, too. Their manners, the ones oft forgotten, reappeared with little prodding.  My son, the design enthusiast, whipped out his camera and took photos of his cavernous surroundings. Then he tried out every chair in the lounge, proclaiming this one or that one suitable for his sister or his dad.

As I watched their wonderment, and joked with my husband about our small-town ways, I thought more about how surprised and “wowed” my kids were. These aren’t accommodations our family springs for…when we travel we don’t spend our days at the hotel, so don’t need a luxe room to stay in.  Staying in this place was a huge treat for my kids and they recognized it.

I’m proud they don’t expect the absolute best.  I love how they appreciated this amazing, unexpected experience.  My hope is they will grow up to be grateful not only for life’s unexpected adventures but for the opportunity to live-it-up every so often.  Even if beautiful hotels and omelet stations and balconies with a view (ok, it was a direct visual on Walmart, but hey, we had a view…) are a regular part of their future, I hope they are grateful for every moment, for how lucky they are to be there in the first place.

Oh, and I hope they remember to bring Mom the Aveda shampoo.