A bit more time to recap

It is now Sunday at 2:30pm. Ron has just left for the Minneapolis airport with Tara and my hubby in tow. Last night our tired little boy basically slept from 6:30pm until 2:30am. He woke up very hungry at 2:30am and hungry again at 5:30. He had skipped so many feedings in that long stretch that by 7:30am he was hungry again. JB and I were so tired that we just scooped him up from his pack-n-play and held him in bed with us. That's when Lesley came to the rescue! She knocked on our door and asked if she and Isaac could spend some together. HECK YEAH! She did a 7:30am feeding and another 10:00am feeding before I emerged, pretty darn rested despite our ordeal.

So back to our ordeal -- an ordeal I just didn't have the energy to discuss in my last post. I'll begin by saying that I consider myself a pretty seasoned traveller. However, I have never, in my life, experienced anything like this trip. Not even close. Okay so yes, it was Friday the 14th but I don't believe in all that mumbo jumbo about bad omens . . . maybe I should? :)

• 3:00pm I pick JB up from the airport. He makes the decision to stay in his BDUs since our flight leaves at 4:30pm and we are already cutting it pretty close.
• 3:15pm we arrive at the Fort Walton Beach airport to find out that for some strange reason, JB and I are no on the same flight from Mephis to Minneapolis. We have our e-tickets in front of us indicating otherwise. But in fact he has been moved to a later connection. What?
• 3:45pm we finally finish working things out with the airline. The decision is made to pull me from the 6:30pm flight and bump us both to the 7:30pm flight due to the bad weather that meant delays were quite possible. The 6:30pm flight only had a 28 minute connection in Memphis.
• 5:15pm we leave Eglin nearly 30 minutes late after a flight attendant calls in sick.
• 6:30pm we arrive in Memphis. We pass the gate where the 6:30pm flight is boarding and make the decision not to see if there is space on it (a decision we later regret). We are hoping to grab a bite to eat and have been given bulk-head seats on the 7:30pm (lots of leg room). We also want to make sure our luggage arrives with us which can be a problem when flying stand-by.
• 7:30pm comes and goes. We find out that we are waiting for our pilot to arrive.
• 8:30pm we finally load the plane. We are told the pilot is on his way so it is safe to get everyone on board. The next hour goes by on the airplane. This was the first time that our travel with a five week old become obvious to us. Isaac (and other children on the plane) were not happy with the excess heat we were all being forced to endure while we waited for the aformentioned pilot to arrive.
• 9:30pm we are told that the pilot will indeed not arrive. The flight has been cancelled altogether and will instead leave at 8:00am -- the next morning! We should proceed to the main counter for help with the future of our lives.
• 9:45pm I bust my tail down the terminal with Isaac hoisted over my shoulder. JB stays behind to get all of our stuff. We want to try to get in the front of the line to deal with our lodging. This proved to be a good move on our part. The line moved incredibly slowly and it was a weaving, incredibly long line within about 10 minutes.
• 10:30pm we have our details. We are going to be staying at a Holiday Inn by the Airport. They give us some overnight bags which proved incredibly helpful and some vouchers for food. However, since everything is closed now and will be when we return, we aren't sure how helpful these will be. They also decide to put us on a flight all the way into Rochester. For those of you who aren't from the Polar North, Rochester is about an hour and fifteen minute drive south of the cities. We don't normally fly into Rochester because it is considerably more expensive. However, the airline has decided to give us the gift because they feel badly for us and our travels with tiny baby in tow. JB asks the woman if she is sure our luggage can handle the change of plans. She assures us that since it is changed in the computer, our baggage tags will register Rochester and make it without a problem. JB explains that we have a wedding to attend at 4pm. She assures us we will make it. She also puts us on a 6am flight out of Memphis instead of the 8am flight everyone else is taking.
• 11:00pm we catch the shuttle to our hotel. We are given a room right outside the ice machine. This meant I had to walk out two times and we finally called the front desk as there were about a dozen twelve year olds playing tag by the ice machines for quite a long period of time. I have never called the front desk to complain of noise, but we were desperate.
• 11:30pm Isaac finishes eating and falls asleep. We have a long talk with him and he seems to understand that we need him to sleep until our alarm goes off at 4am
• 12:00am Wendi finally falls asleep. This is an airport hotel and there are very loud planes going overhead constantly causing a little difficulty in falling asleep.
• 4:00am alarm goes off and Isaac-the-trooper is still sleeping. Despite his schedule being completely confused, he has proven an incredible traveller. Strong work little man!
• 4:30am shuttle arrives
• 5:00am we check in for our next flight. We find out that bulkhead is available for us again! What an answer to prayer. I am no longer exit-row elligible due to travelling with child.
• 6:00am we get word that our flight will be delayed. An attendant is sick! I kid you not.
• 6:30am we finally board and leave for Minneapolis.
• 8:30am we arrive in Minneapolis. We decide to see if there is room on the 9:05 flight back to Rochester to avoid the wait for the 10:05 flight.
• 9:05am we find out there is room and board the flight. However, we then get word that there is some problems with one of the filters. We must sit on the runway and wait.
• 9:30am Isaac creates quite a mess for JB. Another diaper and an entire pack of wipes is used in the process. We now have one diaper left! It is at this point that John turns to me and says, "Wendi, this is the worst trip in the history of the world." I have to agree.
• 9:55am (10 minutes before our 10:05am flight would have left) we are on our way to Rochester.
• 10:30am we land in Rochester. We are told our bags are on the 10:05 due to land in just a few minutes. We decide to wait with Tara who has come to pick us up.
• 11:15am all luggage has come and gone. Our's is nowhere to be found.
• 11:30am we get word that our baggage is in Minneapolis and the next flight won't arrive until 3:00pm. The wedding is at 4:00pm and they cannot be confident that the bags will in fact be on that flight. We end up getting our bags around 6:30pm that evening on the way to the reception.

It was at this point in the trip that I lost all attempts at positivity. Despite how frustrating the previous 24 hours had been, JB and I had kept a good attitude. We were getting to spend time together, and John was getting to do a lot with Isaac that he had been too busy at work to do. But when the luggage didn't show up, I nearly lost it.

We returned to Dave & Lesley's, a bit late for the brunch she was planning. The Cronks and Scheiffers and Yuans were there. Ronnie made an appearance as did Jock. It was wonderful to see everyone! Lesley and Tara also helped motivate me that a trip to TJ-Max would be a fun adventure. Okay, if you want to look at it that way. But in fact, it was. Within about 60 minutes we had secured me a skirt, top, and shoes (from Payless). Not a small feat for a 6'3" lady who often has trouble shopping for clothes. I was relieved.

While I was out shopping, JB washed his t-shirt and socks and put them back on clean with his military BDUs. Isaac got to wear his pajamas to the wedding instead of the cute little outfit I had packed for him in his suitcase. But he didn't seem to mind too much.

The wedding was wonderful and worth all the hassles the previous day of travel had brought us. What a fun time. There were nearly 400 people at this wedding but hanging out with the Jones, Tara, and Yuans made me not even realize how many people we did not know at the event. This morning we went to a brunch at Rachel's parents' house and were able to spend some time with bride and groom. I am so happy for Hans and Rachel and would not have missed the day for the world.

As soon as I can, I'll get pictures up. Rachel was STUNNING! Hans looked equally stunning. :) It was a wonderful day. Stay tuned for more details.