thankful thursday #172

This past week, winter weather struck again and delayed my travel out of Raleigh, North Carolina back to Birmingham.

(Merciful Lord, when will it ever end?)

As it happened, I inherited a two-hour layover in Atlanta in the C Terminal. I spent the first hour near Gate 43. It wasn't my inbound or outbound gate, but it was empty and offered a quiet corner for a quick phone call home to catch up with Mom, and a text conversation with Kari. Kari's dad had landed at the Atlanta airport, too, but was in another terminal and would not be able to make it to me before my board time.

After that, I gathered my belongings and moved down to my outbound gate to confirm that my flight was still on time, and still departing from Gate 52. It was.

I settled into a chair, reached for my iPhone, and opened up the USA Today app, my favorite news source.

Is this seat taken?

I looked up from my seat and saw that Kari's sweet dad -- my second dad! -- had, in fact, made it to Gate 52 for a quick visit. Oh, happy day!

We chatted for thirty minutes or so, and I didn't even care that my flight was delayed another short spell. I was so grateful for an impromptu hug and face-to-face visit with someone from home, even if we did have to magically cross paths at Gate 52 of the Atlanta airport.

Has a fun twist of luck struck you this week? Go on, be grateful!