I've had my fair share of traveling dilemmas but my flight to Ohio topped them all. This is long, but bear with me. I was scheduled to depart on a Thursday. It had warmed up so instead of snow we were getting rain. Sounds like I should be off the hook right? Wrong! It wasn't warm enough to keep the rain from freezing once it hit the ground. Can you say black ice? Not just random patches of it, but sheets of it all over the roads. [The walks on BYU's campus were
icy too... hilarious video!]
As we're driving to the airport I get a text: Your flight has been delayed 1 hour. I was actually kind of grateful. I knew that I had enough time to get myself and Vince to the gate in time. Then, right as we pull up to the airport I get a second text: Your flight has been cancelled, please reschedule online.
WHAT?! I was unloading my luggage from the car and my flight was non-existent. We hurried in to see if I could secure a flight later that same day. What seemed like forever-and-a-day later, we made it through the Southwest line to speak with a rep. Not only were the flights booked for the rest of the day, they were booked for the next day too. All of the sudden two days got knocked off of my trip!
[Insert lots of phone calls getting flight info figured out because the rep forgot to change my return date]
Friday night I get into bed. I'm packed and ready to go bright and early the next morning. Until the nausea kicked in. Where was this coming from? I slept sitting up and continually woke up trying to swallow back the vomit. Around 4 am I lost the battle, but at least I made it to the toilet.
I crawled back into bed at 4:45 and slept for 45 minutes until my alarm went off. I get up and sluggishly gather last minute belongings for travel. I still felt nauseous and wasn't sure whether or not I could even make it to the airport. I called home, asking for prayers, and then hit the road to airport for the second time.
Vince kept crying. I understand that he was upset to be rudely taken from his sweet baby dreams, but this was not a good morning for crying. My head was spinning. I couldn't focus on the road signs that were visible for seconds at a time because of a fog that was so dense you could feel it. Ultimately, this led to us missing our exit and shaving of those precious minutes I needed to get to the departure gate.
Finally, we arrived. The nausea would come and go in waves and it nearly reduced me to tears on several occasions. I view myself as a capable woman and don't go searching for pity. But I'm not going to lie, I wanted pity that morning! I wanted someone to grab my bags and rescue me so I could focus on pushing Vince's stroller without puking my guts out again. This much desired angel never came. I dredged forward, boarded my plane and was seated next to a very, very large man. I had prayed for an empty seat so I could put Vince down and spread out. No such luck.
As it turns out, my airplane neighbor was heaven sent. I was trying to drink some ginger ale to calm my stomach... until Vince knocked the pop out my hand, down my pants and onto the diaper bag. I was fighting back the tears. I wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep off the exhaustion and sickness. Then he turned to me and offered to hold Vincent so I could clean up. Next, I had to nurse Vince and he patiently and silently endured Vince kicking him the entire time.
I awkwardly hobbled to make my connecting flight. To my delight, the flight was practically empty. An ENTIRE row to myself and my baby. Oh how I needed it. I cuddled Vince and thought to myself, I can do this. I can make it without barfing on a plane. I felt like the trials were over and I was going to make it.
Nope. It wasn't over yet. I go to the baggage claim but my luggage didn't make it on the connecting flight. My Mom went and searched other kiosks to see if mine came in on a different plane while I stood in line amongst the other disgruntled passengers. I probably didn't wait that long, but it felt like an eternity. We got everything sorted out and my luggage was delivered at 2 am. It was a nightmare of a day but I was grateful that I didn't puke again and that Vince and I made it safely to my childhood home.
I was dreading the return flight. When I texted Paul to tell him that the morning was fantastic he didn't know whether I was being facetious or sincere. Boy was I sincere. Boo Bear was a champion; exhausted but content, red-eyed but darling. He napped each time I cuddled him into me, ate whenever I offered him food, hardly cried and made all of the surrounding passengers fall instantly in love with his blue eyes and toothless, goofy grin.
Not only did the flights go off without a hitch, but Southwest has no only one free bag... but TWO. Oh good heavens. I am giddy just thinking about having so much space to transfer some of my belongings from Ohio to Utah. My first checked bag was full of clothes, shoes, etc. Half of those clothes were reclaimed from my closet, my sister and hand-me-downs. The duffel bag was all of those odds and ends that are generally too bulky to take home: yoga mat, aerobic ball, towels, sleeping bag, kid books, stuffed animals, free toiletries. I can't believe how much bulky stuff I shoved in that big red bag. Ready?
As far as traveling goes we've come full circle. I'm back in Provo-- but with no husband this time. In about 2 weeks he'll come back from his business trip. Til then my Mom is in town!
The happenings of the rest of my trip will be forthcoming over the next few days.
