At
home, on a gloomy, withered day, after 11.5 hours of rigorous airfare while the baby naps peacefully is sweet. Yesterday we had quite the whirlwind traveling home from Oregon. Instead of the usual one-only stop, we had two- which meant two layovers, supposedly. I had been anxious about this since preparing for my trip, and especially once it came up (my last post was the day before travels). *sigh...* the Lord, in His MIGHTY grace got us through it all, and safely home to my hubby, but we went through the wringer to get here. It's quite funny how it all happens, though. We had quite the time getting here, but the Lord also blessed every bit of the way as well... read on!
It starts: Good morning together as family, scrambled eggs with salsa and buttered pita bread...Kisses, hugs, goodbyes. Airport #1.... proud Grammi gives baby snuggles as i check my luggage. We part, sadly.
I wait to get on flight and once on, baby promptly falls asleep nursing secretly under her dark nursing cover, which meant a non- fussy girl for take-off. She slept most of the way, and then was wide awake and bright eyed for the remainder.
BLESSING #1: An empty seat (the only empty seat in the entire plane) next to me!
We arrive at our first layover airport, Seattle (the nightmare). Everything starts out just fine. I find the tram easily, board easily, make my way to the gate in which i supposedly depart from to find out that the flight has been delayed.
Oh no.
No No No. Delayed? Could this be happening? If this flight is delayed, i definitely do not make my next flight which is out of Minneapolis because i only have about 35 minutes in between arrival and departure. Look for an agent. WHERE are the real people? I see telephones....People? Hellloooo? Ok. Pick up the phone, "shhh baby, you're doing so good. mama loves you..." Tell the lady my problem. Ok. She helps to find another flight that would match up with my last flight, still allowing me to arrive home at the same time i told my hubby. The she says she can't check my luggage on to the new flight, and that i need to find an agent to print my new boarding passes and re check my luggage. A-HA! i spot an agents booth....Ok. Several people are already in line, and i have only 45 minutes to make it to my new fligth in a completely different area of the airport. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. "why is the ratio 450,000:1?" Where are the other agents? Alright....people get their questions answered, and the line slowly fades. I asked the man in front of me a question, dont remember waht, and the preceeded to tell him i was going to be late for my flight.
BLESSING #2: The man says, "why don't you go next, in front of me, i've got more time to spare."
Oh thank you! SO i'm getting it all figured out, except that she's taking forever. Keep chatting to my little lovie...."we're going to be fine, baby." Get my tickets, and then head to the screen to find my gate. Wait, why is the gate on the screen different than the gate on ticket.
CONFUSED! So, trying to think as rationally as possible....i make my way BACK onto the tram to find a girl and ask why things are so confusing. She said, best to go to the gate on the ticket just in case. So i get off at the "B gate section" of the tram, feeling quite lonely as i'm the ONLY person getting off. I see 2 long escalators in front of me. Keep in mind, i've got a baby on the front, a boppy pillow ion the side, and a backpack well, on the back. I'm a full load. Run Run run....I start to lose it a little as i run up the escaltors....and then try to control myself. I get to the desk and ask if this is the right gate and the lady tells me, "no, this is for south west." I went from Delta, to RE-booked flight on Alaska. UGH! Lord help me!!!......... Ok.....start to run in the oppostie direction, back down the two long flights of escalators.... i officially LOSE it. I start bawling. "What if i'm stuck in this airport, many miles from home with a baby?" Please dearest Lord, help me to find strength in you....i need it now! The tram comes, and i get on and sit down, totally uncertain of where to go.
BLESSING #3: A flight attendant, whose off duty, and is wheeling her mother in a wheel chair to their flight in the same area, one gate over from my new gate asks if i'm okay.
"Excuse me ma'am, you look pretty stressed out. Can i help you?" At this point, i don't want anyone to see my crying. I say "no...no please..it's okay. I'll find it." She insists on helping me, and asks where i'm going. "I'm supposed to be going to Alaska airlines." She says, "great, follow me. That's by the "N" gates. I'm going there as well.We'll get you there, don't worry."
SOOO thankful for her, because we had to take 2 other trams just to get there, and i surely would not have known to take them both. Alas! my gate. I see it! I see it! The people are in line! I think i'll make it! I ge to the desk, get all my flight stuff figured out, get a seat, get myself on board (i've got a middle seat....really, a no-go with a baby.) I asked the flight attendant upon entering the plane if i needed to just ask someone in my area to switch and she basically said, "good luck..people like their isle seats."
BLESSING #4: The kind woman in the isle seat switches with me so that i now have the isle. PRAISE!
BLESSING #5: The way the Lord woks is so absolutely amazing....
This new flight landed me in a row of sweet women who loved the baby, and across the small isle from a
very kind, older woman who was gracious in helping to hold the baby several times. If i had not gone through the troubles i've been through to get to this flight, i would not be sitting here, with this much help on this flight. baby napped again. God was truly considering me!!
Flight went well, after all of that hulabuloo. Alright....on to the third and final destination. Arrive in Minneapolis with a bit more time to spare, to realize my new gate is only a few down from where i arrived. YAY! If only i had one of those cheesy staples buttons that you press that say,
"That was easy." Get myself a sugar free hazelnut latte with nonfat and a sandwich. Go sit down with baby, lay out her blanket. mash up some avocado and banana for dinner and feed my hungry, happy girl. I received a bout a million, "Your baby is SO cute," comments. It was very sweet. They call out for those who need more assistance and time to board first, which, hey, meant me and Lilyan! Alright! So i board.....get myself ready, baby falls fast asleep again promptly upon entering her secret nursing cover time.....People pour on.....I get a nice lady who had commented on how cute the baby was at the window seat of my isle, so for now, there's an empty seat between us. I keep hoping that whoever sits in between us is going to be small so that they can walk over my knees, so i don't have to rouse the sleeping babe. Alright...where is this person. So then the person finally comes, at the very end of boarding time, and realizing i have a sleeping child, asks if he can sit in the few empty seats in the rows behind me. The stewardess says, "I think the flight is booked up," which it was not afterall. SO,
another prayer answered!
BLESSING #6: Another empty seat next to me! And this time, on a very large plane! That gave both me, and the woman by the window much needed space, and was just so refreshing! After 11.5 hours of airfare and layover time traveling, i make it home to my hubby, whose waiting patiently to see his wife and daughter. We kiss, share hugs and snuggles....and then go to find my bag. Where's my bag? Turns out, it was never checked through, and now as i type this, i await the delivery of my
MUCH-NEEDED luggage. Oh well. I pray it'll come. My camera, full of MANY cherished family is in there....but, seeing as though the Lord provided so many blessings this trip, even despite all of the terror i faced, and helped me all along the way, i know he'll provide my bag.. Moral....?
Truly, His yoke is easy, and His burden light....and those who labor and are heavy laden will be given rest.
