DAY ONE - Monday, April 1, 2019

Do you want to know that I just realized we are flying on April Fool's Day.  I don't know if that's a good thing or not.  Oh brother.

We've had quite the week leading up to departure, but we are almost ready to go now.

This trip is compliments of Hunter Douglas Window Coverings.  We met a sales goal and this is our reward.  We bought in for Benjamin (our 17-year old).

We leave Grand Junction, Colorado at 11:20 a.m. and head to Denver.  I used the mobile app to check in and take photos of our passports and check our luggage.  That was all pretty cool.  Our Grand Junction airport is very small AND we have TSA pre check so Dave (my husband) should have plenty of time to go to Gold's Gym at 8:00 a.m. and do his final weigh in for the 12-week challenge.

Once in Denver we have almost 4 hours until our next flight on Lufthansa.  It departs Denver at 4:10 p.m. and arrives Munich on Tuesday, April 2 at 9:50 a.m.  It's a 9 hour 40 minute flight.  I've NEVER been on a flight longer than 3 hours.  We paid to upgrade our seats since my son is 6' 2" and my husband is 6' 4".  So hopefully that works out well for them.

We will be traveling with one of the Hunter Douglas sales reps Elizabeth and her partner Mallory.  Elizabeth was our sales rep for many years.  Dave was actually just telling our workers about her the other day.  This is what he said, "Every month, Elizabeth sent me a hand written thank you note for our sales for the month.  It was such a nice gesture.  Then wouldn't you know it, that year she also received the top sales person award for Hunter Douglas."  I'm sure her showing appreciation for her salespeople encouraged them to keep performing well.  And then she was rewarded as well.  She's a great woman and fun to be around so this should be a great week.

When we arrive on Tuesday, we are responsible to take a taxi to our hotel.  We chose to fly a day earlier than the planned Hunter Douglas itinerary so getting to the hotel is on us.  We are hopeful that our room will be ready early, but if not we will see if they will take our luggage and we'll go explore Germany.  Apparently we are very close to Marienplatz where the glockenspiel is. Picture below.

Glockenspiel

We will grab some lunch, check out the Marienplatz and then head back to our hotel.  We might be plenty tired by then.  Who knows?  I hope I sleep on the plane.

I'll occasionally post photos to Instagram and Facebook, but I'll definitely be updating the blog here too.  Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes as we travel.  Guten tag.

T Minus 10 Days

Hi, I'm Patty and I am actively Reclaiming My Life.  I have a blog that documents that journey over at reclaimingpatty.com.  In January of 2016 I was 276 pounds; I had high blood pressure; I had Rheumatoid Arthritis and I hurt; and I had an Under Active Thyroid.  I took naps every day and I did not know how to reverse the curse (so to say.)

In stepped a young trainer who taught me step by step about better food choices, safe exercises so as to not overwork my joints and who got me to get back in the pool and swim (which I love to do.)  I'm now at least 75 pounds lighter with normal blood pressure, no inflammation, and a proper diagnosis on the thyroid with less medicine AND no naps every day.

My husband and I started our own business selling window coverings back in 2004.  We sell Hunter Douglas brand and if you meet certain sales goals, you have the possibility of winning a trip.  We hit the sales goals throughout the years, but because I was SO heavy and because I snored so loudly (because I was heavy), we couldn't share one room together and really enjoy the getaway.  So we have passed on trips; we've given trips to our employees; or we've taken the trips with other family members.

Germany?  Europe?  NEVER on my radar.  I knew that a long flight would be needed to "get there." I would probably need to catch some sleep on the plane.  My snoring was so loud (when I was heavy) that not a single family member could sleep with me and I actually had a young girl nudge me on a plane in the past and wake me up just to tell me I was snoring.  Geeze, thanks!

Well, NOW - I'd say I do snore, but not NEAR as loud as it was when I was close to 300 pounds.  So I started to consider Europe.  My husband and kids have been several times.  I have passed.  Well, one of the choices of trips for 2019 was Munich -- if we could meet the 2018 Hunter Douglas sales goal.  We decided to give it a try.  Dave had been to Germany with our oldest son and had absolutely loved it.  He was excited to go back and show me the beautiful country.

We get to go see this castle - Neuschwanstein Castle

On the very last day of the qualifying period, we made the very last sale that secured our passage on this trip.  We bought in for our youngest son and now we are making preparations to go.  Excited?  Yes.  Anxious?  Of course.  But I still can't believe my life has changed so much that I am booked on a flight to Germany. 

We will document our journey on this blog and we will upload photos too, but for now?  Holy Cow.  Miracles do happen!

Our hotel has a pool.