Getting Back To Madrid, Not As Easy As It Sounds

My dad and sister dropped me off at the O'Hare Airport New Year's Eve (after having to go back to the house because I forgot my house keys and metro card, thankfully we hadn't gotten too far!).  Luckily, my suitcase was exactly 50lbs (the maximum a suitcase can weight without additional fees)! Seeing as I had a 45 minute layover in Atlanta, I asked the lady at the ticket desk if I was going to make it and she reassured me I would be fine.  Then she asked if I had a return flight booked.  I replied with a no.  She then asked if I had a visa, and I told her it was expired.  So I handed her my Spanish Identification Card and she seemed confused, so I handed her an authorization to return to Spain (even though this was no longer necessary since I had my ID card) and thankfully they let me proceed to security.  I thought it was funny how the USA was more inquisitive than Spain itself about whether I was actually allowed in Spain.
As I was waiting at my gate, the plane we were supposed to board arrived 30 minutes before our scheduled take-off time.  I knew at this point my flight was going to be a bit delayed.  Then after everyone was on board, the pilot announced that the plane had to be de-iced which would only take a few minutes.  In my opinion, 30 minutes is not the equivalent of a few minutes.  So the plane finally took off about an hour late.  Then after the pilot announced we would be arriving 10 minutes before my flight to Madrid was to depart, I asked the flight attendant if he thought I would make it to my gate in time.  He then, fairly forcefully, asked me why I, along with a few other people on this plane, would ever book a flight this close.  I had no choice in my layover time, so I was not overly thrilled with his unhelpful response.    
Needless to say, I did not make my flight from Atlanta to Madrid.  But, when I got to the desk the Delta representatives said they had already booked me on a flight to Paris and then to Madrid.  So I went to my next gate and after waiting for everyone to board, they gave me a ticket.  And this ticket just so happened to be in Business Class Premium, I was in the section right behind first class! The seats were roomy and had a leg rest.  I was flying in style (probably the only time that will happen)!  We got a small gift bag from Air France with socks, an eye mask, earplugs, and a toothbrush with toothpaste! It was a fantastic flying experience and slightly made up for the fact that I missed my original flight.  After a short layover in Paris and a slight snafu with our tickets for the next flight, I was finally back in Madrid! And thankfully, my luggage made it with me! I don't know what I would have done without the peanut butter, reese's minis, starbursts, pumpkin bread, and swedish rye bread I was smuggling into Madrid! Oh and some of my favorite articles of clothing!
The weather for the first few days of 2014 has been gloomy: cold and rainy.  Here's to hoping that doesn't last!