10.02.2006

Back from Tennessee


Grandma and Grandpa Hupp


Eating out on the deck!!


Our trip to Tennessee was interesting. It has taken me almost a week to process it. Check it out...
We left Thursday the 21st. Our plane was scheduled to take off at 7AM. I had planned to wake up at 5 to make sure everything was ready for us to leave at 6. Finn, for the first time in like two months, decided 3AM was a good time to wake up. So he did. And so I did. Needless to say we had plenty of time to get ready. We made it through the security line (i asked a complete stranger to hold Finn while I folded up the stroller to put it through the xray thing) with only having two things thrown out, some hand sanitizer and some face cream for Finn's eczema. The flight from Omaha to O'Hare was great. Finn slept in my arms most of the time. We got there, I found my gate, and decided to walk around as the floght didn't take off until 11:30, over 3 hours later. So we took to walking, had a bite here, changed a diaper there... and at 11 I decided it would be best to get back to the gate and just hang out. 11:30 came, and the little flight attendent lady says over the intercom, "I am sorry for the inconvenience, but flight 1425 (my flight) has been delayed until 11:45." Around 11:35 Finn pooped. I thought, "O man there isn't enough time to run to the bathroom..." so I just announced to everyone near me, I was sorry, but I had to change my kid, right there on the floor. (Of course I laid him on my jacket). There were like ten moms on my flight headed to the MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) on my flight, and they were just laughing... THe lady again, "Once again, I am sorry for the inconvenience but flight 1425 has been delayed until 12 PM." okay. Finn pooped AGAIN. This time I had time to run to the bathroom. So I did. After this change I was down to ONE diaper and TWO wipes. So I get back and the flight had been further delayed until 12:15. So I layed Finn on my coat and let him roll around on the floor expecting preboarding to start anytime... Nope. "Sorry for the inconvenience, but flight 1425 has been CANCELLED. Please get in line at the counter for us to redirect your flight." WHAT, CANCELLED?? everyone gets up in a hurry and into line... Here I am with Finn on the floor, a super heavy diaper bag, a stroller and my jacket... I struggle, while all the moms are hopping into line... and I am next to last, with at least 50 other people (WITHOUT CHILDREN) are getting their flights redirected before mine, which means they are all going to get to TN before me. The tears start to spring up. Could it be... I could be stuck at O'Hare all night, with one diaper and two bottles of formula left... Finn will starve... I always go into worst case scenario mode.... so here I am in concourse G hallway, crying... pity party. I call Justin, he talks to his boss Wanda (a traveler extraordinaire) who calls american airlines and gets my flight redirected over the phone before i even get to the ticket counter. i get it all worked out, but am still crying.. once i start i can't stop. my new flight leaves at 3:45, goes to charlotte NC, then to Nashville TN, and I get in after 8 in the evening (as opposed to my original time of 1:50 PM!) So i call my stepdad ken, who has been at the nashville airport since around 10AM. Sorry ken... lucky he had his little movie mp3 thing with him... So i am crying walking down the hall trying to find my way around o'Hare to my new gate... in a totally different terminal, and I get stopped by a MOPS mother who feels sorry for me and wants to help. then an American Airlines lady stops and wants to help. I explain no one can really help and if I have to I will just flag someone down who is carrying a diaper bag and ask them to have a diaper... or buy one from them... so they realize i am just emotional and give me a phone number to call if i need help. So i duck into a bathroom to see the sad state of my makeup... and decide it best to put on my sunglasses. so i did. and it made me feel better... something to hide behind. so another three hours of walking around, feeding... the time comes to board and i was STANDBY. are you kidding!?!?! luckily i got on.... off to charlotte. when i got there, i had 15 minutes to rush to the bathroom (finn pooped on the plane AGAIN) using the last diaper. We finally made it to nashville and so did our luggage!!! now that is amazing..... We drove two hours to my parents house. And went to bed.

the time there was great. I helped mom decorate a bit, got to see all around their house, and even went to the biggest outlet mall i have ever been to. it was great. and the trip home went without a hitch too.

lesson learned : when traveling with children take as many diapers and as much food as your bag can possibly carry. and try to take another adult with you to help.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think that diaper lesson is one only learned the hard way....a right of passage for a new mom...the way i choose to see it. Erin