I realize that I promised you all a photo yesterday, but I have a really good excuse: I was stranded in Denver. Remember when I mentioned that we would be leaving on our Epic Christmas Adventure, and how it was supposed to take us to Texas and Mississippi? And remember how I did not say we would be going to Colorado? Well United Airlines did not get that memo. Overall, I think we should be thankful we weren't on this flight, the one that was all over the news and went on its aborted takeoff run shortly before we landed in Denver. We were totally safe. We just missed our connection in Denver because of a flight delay leaving Albuquerque. We would have preferred to stay in our own home in Albuquerque and leave in the morning, but all the flights the next day were full, so off we went to Denver, secure in the knowledge that once we were stuck there, United might be able to get us a flight out the next day and would probably put us up in a hotel for the night, since it was their fault and all. Remember in youth group when you would do that stupid trust exercise thing where you close your eyes and fall backward into the arms of your friend, who catches you? The airline industry works on that same concept, except that about 50 percent of the time, you just sail right past those waiting arms and need ten stitches in the back of your head.

So to make a long and painful story a bit shorter, we flew one hour north to Denver so we could devote the next 18 hours to standing in exceedingly long lines to sort out hotel arrangements, shuttle arrangements, finding our luggage and then riding in the aforementioned shuttle to the aforementioned hotel, where we got a few hours of restless sleep and then got up at the crack of dawn to ride the shuttle back to the airport, and stand in a holiday ticketing line that made the previous night's line look like an inch worm as compared to a python. Because we were rebooked to another airline and therefore technically considered a new ticket as of that morning, we got to do the Extra Special Security Screening Dance, where they pull you aside, shine flashlights up your nose and dig through all your belongings. Then we went to the gate, where we were promptly informed that our flight was delayed. So now to the pictures.

Here is Kate, on her teddy bear leash, trying to unpack Dan's backpack. The thing is that she also tried to unpack the luggage of every one else in the terminal, and take their cell phones and Blackberries and snacks. It's a good thing she makes up for this appalling lack of understanding of personal space by being pretty cute.

As expected, we spent a lot of time walking around the airport. Given our delays, this turned out to mean approximately 8 hours of walking time. Here is Kate pulling the leash taut as she lunges for one of the dozen or so escalators she fell in love with in Denver.

And here is a video of Kate watching Signing Time while we waited for our final plane to arrive at the gate. This photo sums up why my husband is my hero. It was his idea to bring the DVDs, which turned out to be a total lifesaver. More importantly, Dan stood in all the lines, wrangled with all the airline agents, stood in the half-hour line for the shuttle in the freezing cold in Denver while Kate and I waited inside, woke me up with Starbucks coffee from the hotel lobby, got Kate up and dressed and fed her breakfast while I got a much-needed shower, went and got food for several meals we ate in the airport, and just generally handled the whole situation so that I did not have to. I have traveled a lot with Kate by myself, and that is usually fine, but I really think that if this had been one of those times, I would have just sat down on the floor and cried at several points. So a big round of applause for Dan the Man.

Finally, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, more than 24 hours after we left our house in Albuquerque, we arrived in San Antonio, into the welcoming arms of Dan's family. It was a nice moment, totally worth traveling for. Of course, if you have traveled very much at all, you know what we found when we went down to baggage five minutes later: The airline industry, as one last holiday present to me, lost my suitcase. To give them credit, they did return it last night, ringing the doorbell at about 1 in the morning, and waking up the entire household when we set off the security system alarm while fumbling around half asleep to answer the door. I think this is the airline industry's version of Christmas caroling.

All in all, we are very relieved to be in San Antonio in one piece, with all of our luggage, starting out on a fun time with family. And to be out of Denver.