The Airplane Ride Home

Okay, Blogger drives me crazy. I can't get these pictures to move, but they go later in my story (the part where we get onto our very first flight-so you can remember that- in case you care :)

This post will be very long and boring, and is just one of those that I want to document for myself. It was really one of those 'tender mercies' that I want to remember and for my kids to go back one day and read.

That being said, Thursday morning, the 19th of May, we set off for the 2 hour drive to Dulles airport (It's only 40 miles from us, but that D.C. traffic.... I don't think I'll ever get used to it :) My wonderful friends Sam from my old ward works for jetBlue and she had given me 7 buddy passes to use to make our flights about a 1/4 of what it would have cost (6 for my family, and one for my sis-in-law to help me with the kiddos since Andy was coming later). Can I just say I love her and she is an amazing person? Because I do, and she is. Anyway, the whole way there I was so nervous, like to the point of feeling sick (and my morning sickness had been pretty much gone for at least a week!) because Sam had been going over the flight loads the night before and told me that our chances for getting on were so slim, which meant we would have to spend ALL DAY in the airport waiting for the next flight which meant we would be sleeping in the airport in New York. I had really prepared for this, packing pillows, blankets, snacks, games, and entertainment for the kids in our carry-ons in case this happened, but I really just wanted to go home and not have the ordeal last days. But that's what you get when you're flying stand-by. So I was prepared, but just dreading and planning for the worst.

I had explained this to the kids, but they didn't really understand, and they were so excited about riding on an airplane that I don't think they cared anyway. We got through checking our bags, security, etc. without a hitch (except I was ready to wrap Bear in a straight jacket.... I love that boy, but the kid is crazy. Seriously) and we got to our terminal. The kids were entertained for the next hour with our carry-on entertainment and also looking out the windows. They were so excited! It was so fun to watch them. I just stared at the clock with a pit in my stomach hoping and praying that someone ahead of us was sleeping in, deciding to take the next flight, running late-anything-so we would make the flight! Is that horrible? I don't know, but I was still doing it :) They began boarding. Then the stragglers came. Then they started calling stand-by. There were probably 18 of us and Sam had told me there were 12 seats available. I just didn't want us to be split up. They called about 5 people and I just keep thinking "There are 6 of us.... don't call anyone else!" They called someone else.... and then "Sarah Collette? Along with your 4 kids?" The weight that came off my chest was pure relief. I didn't realize until then just how nervous I had been. And it really wouldn't have been that big of a deal if we HAD to stay and sleep in the airport and keep 4 kids occupied for 24 hours with hardly anything to do.... oh wait, yes it would have :) But then they didn't call Terra. I got our boarding passes and stood by the lady and said "Terra will get on too, right?" thinking that this was the whole reason she came, so that she could help me! Plus, only 2 of the seats were together, and the rest were a bit scattered throughout the plane. The lady apologized, and explained that she knew the kids were little, but that was all we had and maybe some people would be willing to trade seats, but I would just have to ask. She waited a minute, looking at her list and then looked at at the remainder of people waiting to get on. Then she said "Terra Collette?" I couldn't help it. I started to cry! I was so happy, and Terra and I jumped up and down like little kids for a minute. I don't think I realized until this moment how nervous I had really been . I have never done anything like this alone with my 4 kids, being pregnant, still a bit sick, not to mention the 5 carry-ons we had, plus Bear's carseat, and the 3 ginormous bags we had checked. How was I supposed to do that all by myself?? I couldn't and someone knew that. And He had something to do with this . I know it. It may be a small thing that doesn't seem to matter in the grand scheme of things, but it mattered to me and He knew it. And He helped me.

When we got on the plane, we were the last ones on, and they shut the door. I was in the 2nd row with Bear. I quickly buckled in his seat, stuck him in it, and then found the rest of our seats. Daph was right in front of us next to a nice looking lady (and Daphne talked the poor lady's ear off! I was just giggling in my seat listening to the things she was saying, but the lady was so nice and pretended to be interested. It was so cute and gave me a good laugh). Jonah, Laylah and Terra were way in the back on all different rows. The lady directly next to me volunteered to go back and take Jonah's seat so he could be next to me. I thanked her profusely. And then Terra and Laylah went to the back where another kind man volunteered to trade seats with Terra so that Laylah and Terra could sit next to each other. I am so thankful for those kind people.

So excited for their first plane ride! (this is where the pictures should be that are at the top of the post. That's how we were sitting and the kids were all SO excited for their first ride on an airplane! I was just relieved they were all near me, or Terra, in case they got scared. Bear was even had to hold his little toy airplane in case you didn't notice :)

Virginia.... beautiful, no?

The 45 minute ride was successful to New York and the kids couldn't believe their luck that they got drinks and snacks on the plane, not to mention jetBlue has way nice planes and every seat has it's own TV. They all had their headphones and all watched Nick the entire flight. Lucky ducks :) We had to ride a train to our next terminal and the kids all thought it was amazing that there was a train in the airport! It was super fast and they loved it, especially Bear who had a fit when it was time to get off. I had to drag him out of it right before the doors closed. Sheesh. He must be 2 :) We made it to our next terminal that had a ton of fun, weird couches and chairs to play on and a kids play area, so they were entertained for our 3 hour layover. We had lunch, played around and relaxed. I called Sam and my nervousness was immediatly eased when she told me that there were 60 seats available and only 40 standyby's or something. Phew! We got right on.

The one crappy thing was that I and my four kids had 5 of the 6 seats on the front row. I had to sit next to a WAY super weirdo guy (I can't even tell you all the weird things he said to me...) and he wouldn't switch with Terra who was way in the back stuck between 2 big guys. She didn't even get out of her seat the whole 5 hour flight. Me, on the other hand, having no one to help me, took my various kids to the bathroom a total of 12 times, was digging through our bags approximately every 5 minutes getting something to entertain, for one kid or another, and cleaned up one drink spill. Luckily, it was only 1-Andy had joked on the way to the airport that I better be ready to clean up a lot of spilled drinks. He cursed me! Also luckily, Bear slept about 3 hours of the flight and the other kids were fine until about an hour before the plane landed. Then the "when are we there?" questions started and the fighting over different toys, and games began. Baron started to kind of freak out and wanted OUT of his seat and the only thing that kept them all quiet was food, so we plowed throught the majority of our snacks I had packed. When I spotted my Utah mountains, I pointed them out to all of the kids and they took turns standing by Bear's window gazing outside. I started to cry again, so happy to be home (it was an emotional day for me, but I blame THAT silliness on the pregnancy ;) We got off the plane and went to get our bags and I had several people come up to me and comment on how great and well-behaved my children were and how amazing I was for doing it alone (I had to quickly correct them that I didn't ;) and that I must be a great mother. It made me feel good and it made me happy. It was SO great to see my dad driving his big white truck to meet us and all the kids couldn't get to him fast enough to give him hugs and kisses. I loved getting home to my parents and seeing all of my family and giving them all a great big hug as well. It turned out to be a terrific day and I can't believe how smoothly everything went. Somebody must love me. A lot.

And I love Him too.