It is time to recap our trip back from Trail West.
We packed up our kids and all of our stuff and left TW at 8:40am.
We arrived in Denver at 11:15am to return our rental car and report for our flight at 1:55pm.
We eat lunch and head through security.
We arrive in the terminal only to find that our flight has been delayed one hour and will depart at 2:55pm.
We are a little frustrated since we had planned on the 1:55 flight so our kids could catch a good nap.
At 2:45, we still haven't boarded and realize that we are in danger of missing our connecting flight to Charlotte.
The flight attendants insist that there is NO OTHER WAY to Charlotte today and we must board.
We get on and sit on the runway another 45 minutes. We realize that we will have exactly 10 minutes to catch our flight to Charlotte. We devise a plan that involves Matt getting off of the flight with Asher and running to the next gate so that he can hold the plane. I have to take Lucy and get the stroller from the gate check.
Plan goes as planned, except that it takes them 15 minutes to unload gate check.
I emerge from the tunnel and there in not a single airline representative to greet me. I have no idea where I am going. All I see in front of me is an emergency exit with a security guard stationed at the open door and to the left gates. So I head left and after three gates, it dead-ends.
I have to turn around with Lucy in the stroller and head back through the crowd of people. I get to the emergency exit and ask the guard where to go.
He says, "You just go down the hall to the left."
No gate #. No further directions. Just go left. And go out through the
emergency exit.
So I head down the hall and Matt is calling for me to run. So I pick up the pace to arrive at another SECURITY CHECKPOINT.
Yes that is right. Both kids have jackets, shoes, Asher has a backpack on. All of it has to come off, AGAIN. Plus, I am wearing a jacket and a vest. Oh, and the DVD player, computer, ipod and camera all have to get turned on. We have to throw out the kids liquids in their sippie cups. And the security guards were taking their sweet time checking all of our paperwork. Even though we have already been through this once already in Denver. The security guards start giving us attitude, saying things like, "It's not our fault you are late for your plane." When I ask if Lucy really needs her shoes taken off; they say, "She's a person too."
Ugh.
So we get through security and run all 15 feet to our next plane which is scheduled to leave at 6:15, which means our kids are starving.
We get on the last plane of the day to Charlotte and ask if they are serving a snack box on this plane. They say nope, only pretzels. Fabulous.
After we get airbound, the merciful flight attendants drop a whole armful of pretzels, granola bars, biscotti cookies and Sun Chips into our laps.
So our kids ate sunchips and cookies for dinner.
Our DVD player dies 30 minutes into the flight. My laptop dies 10 minutes later. The only thing that saved us was the Target $1 spot. Which had beaded necklaces and temporary tattoos. We did that for the remainder of the flight.
We arrive in Charlotte. Matt and Asher head for Egypt, which is where our car is parked. And I go down to claim our luggage. None of it arrives.
While I am filling out the paperwork, Lucy decides it is a good time to poop up to her neck. And I have no clothes or wipes for her. So we head to the bathroom after US Airways gives us two crappy car seats to get us home and I have to bathe her in the sink. No joke.
Matt is still in Egypt, NOT YET AT THE CAR. That's right, I had enough time to not get luggage, stand in the enormous line, fill out paperwork AND give my daughter a bath.
Finally, she is all cleaned up and Matt has arrived. We head for the car, install car seats and head on our way to Asheville. Stop for some fast food and end up turned around in Charlotte. 45 minutes later, we pass the airport again on our way home. We hit Asheville and there is some snow on the ground. Lucy starts screaming for the final 40 minutes of the trip, like I haven't heard her cry since she was three months old.
Turns out she has pooped again. And is not happy about it.
We arrive at home, have no pajamas for the kids, or sound machines or clothes for yesterday since everything that fit them was packed for our 10-day trip.
On Thursday, the airline assured us that our bags would arrive at our house by 3pm.
Here it is Friday at 10am, still no bags.
Our kids did great, we kept our sense of humor. But the airlines sucked this year. It is nice to be home! It would be nice to get some clothes.
