Our flight across the ocean two weeks ago for summer vacation was on time and smooth, aviation-wise. However...
I had a headache & took some aspirin.
The movies were all bad and depressing.
One of the kids' stomach didn't feel well. Making things worse after we got off the plane, we passed by some vomit on the floor in several spots (not from our family) on the way to passport control; poor people. We all managed to keep our partially digested food inside us, thank God.
The other kid left his or her brand new orthodontic retainer on the plane, three days after getting it and being told to wear it 24 hours a day for 3 months (except while eating). Fortunately, we discovered this fact in the considerable passport control line, which gave us time to contact customer service and have them search for the retainer - which was found and returned to us during baggage identification and re-check for our connecting flight. Truly a wonderful answer to prayer.
(Little did we know that the precious retainer (obtained on a rush order so it would be with us during our month-long vacation on another continent) would subsequently be (in classic fashion) wrapped in a paper napkin and thrown in the trash of a 23-person 4th of July picnic two days later. Perhaps my least favorite moment of the trip so far...but my cousin Angie came to the rescue (along with others) and starting going through all the trash one piece at a time, transferring it from one trash bag to another, to be thorough, giving me the courage to join in, and I found it. Close shave #2 (and hopefully final).)
Back to the travel - in the baggage claim & recheck line, I was rebuked -- because of the poor layout, I was stuck with 4 big suitcases in the middle of the line for customs, and would have to walk in the opposite direction than I needed to go, to get to the back of the line, just so I could start coming right back again with the luggage. David was retrieving the lost retainer, and the kids had followed him, so I tried to join the line where I found the luggage, but three different people told me there was a line, didn't I know? So we struggled down the hall the wrong direction, to join the back of the queue -- which I know is the right thing to do, it just seemed so backwards, when the luggage pick-up was halfway down the hall already. By the time we got to the front of the line, two guys behind us were almost starting a fistfight over one of them cutting in line close to the front, so I was especially glad that we had taken the time to go to the very back.
In the end, we made it through, made our connecting flight, got the retainer back (both times), and began a truly amazing set of adventures in three states, with three exciting family happenings (two weddings and a reunion).
On the good movie front, last night we saw Toy Story 3 and Knight and Day, both of which were funny, in very different ways. The kids and I enjoyed them both. David's been working in New York City, and tonight he flies down to meet me here in Virginia for a getaway at a B&B - thank you, Mom, for having the kids with you at your River House for two nights without us! Wow! What a blessing.
Posted via email from K's Café
