We got everything packed up, everyone cleaned up and tummies filled up before we headed out the door (on time!) for the airport.
Checked-in, secuity-ized, last minute bathroom stops and finally, finally on board!
A family of four was seated behind us...well, half of them. The father and his 2.5 year old son had seats behind us...along with some random man. The mother and a three month old infant, were stuck in the back. The family politely asked the man to switch seats so they could sit together. The man curtly said no.
I couldn't believe it. What kind of heartless person makes a family with such young children sit apart?? On a 5.5 hour flight?
The flight attendants even got involved. Asking him at least three separate times to move because it would make it more pleasant for the family, as well as the passengers, blah, blah, blah. Finally, FINALLY he agreed, when they bumped him up to a seat with more leg room.
These negotiations took quite some time and the rest of us passengers were getting restless because if it weren't for all this commotion, we'd be up in the air starting our in-flight drink service.
So we thought.
The family and heartless man settled into their seats yet we continued to sit and sit and sit and sit at the gate. Finally, the pilot comes over the speaker and announces a malfunctioning seat belt in the cock pit. They are working on it and once it is repaired, we'll be on out way.
We continue to wait and wait. Over an hour and then another announcement.
The seat belt could not be repaired so the flight is cancelled! Please disembark the airplane!
What?
So we file off the plane. Back into the gate area, where an immediate line forms to reschedule flights. They announce that the flight *might* take off later that evening if they can find and fly in the part from another location but no guarantees. Court gets in line - he's at the end - because we were one of the last off the plane. Our flight originally was to fly Kauai to San Francisco and then to Seattle. We would certainly miss our connecting flight - as well as many other passengers - so just about every single passenger had to have their flights rescheduled. You can't imagine how long this took!
The part was finally flown in and installed. The flight started reboarding 5.5 hours after the flight was originally supposed to depart. As they started reboarding, Court FINALLY made it to the front of the line. Just in time!! I couldn't believe it took that long!!
While Court was in line, I managed the children.
I used all my tricks and surprises there in the gate. Stickers, movies, computer games. I used it all!
I was exhausted and our travels hadn't even started yet.
Plus, we wasted a nap!
Charlotte fell asleep in my arms and it made me so mad because now I knew she wouldn't sleep on the plane!
We eventually boarded our flight and arrived at SFO at two in the morning. The girls did surprisingly well on the flight. Both eventually fell asleep but it was a LONG flight.
We crashed for a few hours in a nearby hotel as we had to be back at the airport at 7 am for our flight to Seattle.
The girls both received pilot wing pins from the flight attendants on our last leg.
Their toys, movies and games had lost their magic yet they were able to find some magic in stacking creamer cups. I was SO proud of them!
A quick bite to eat and then the three hour drive home.
Boy oh boy was it good to be home!
There is nothing like Home Sweet Home Place!
Even though an absolutely empty refrigerator, a week of doctor appointments, Court traveling for work for days on end and piles of laundry as far as the eye could see kicked me in the gut - making me expunge the last few breaths of vacation and choke on the harsh breaths of reality, it was good to be home.
In my little house. With my little family. Living our little life.
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