The Friendly Skies

Greetings from rainy Los Angeles! Well, the good news is that we survived a 4 hour plane ride with three kids. The bad news is that IT WAS THE MOST EXHAUSTING 4 HOURS EVER. Eugene and the girls had a row to themselves and I was across the aisle with Chance on my lap. I sat down next to a man who began speaking to me, and I knew the moment he started talking that he was deaf. Score! He wouldn't be bothered if Chance starts wailing! I brushed off my dusty sign language and we also used our iphones to communicate. It was a high tech moment, I tell ya.

But Chance was perfect despite the awful cold that he's got. I ignored the looks when people heard the sound of Chance's wet cough, fighting off the urge to assure them that he's been to the doctor several times this week and that he's actually getting better. I held him tight as he slept in my arms (for most of the flight), trying my best not to doze off myself. Several times I'd look across the aisle and laugh out loud as Eugene was getting crawled on and spilled on. Often having to be the referee because one of the girls touched the DVD player in the wrong spot (or something ridiculous like that). All the while, I smiled and relished my quiet time with Chance. I'd get these desperate looks from Eugene as if to say, please help me. And I'd toss back an equally desperate look as if to say, oh look my hands are full with this warm, soft quiet little ball of goodness.

For three hours and fourty five minutes our flying experience was relatively drama free.

UNTIL THE DESCENT.

I need to pause and get my thoughts together because it's tough to talk about.

Let me provide you with an image that might help describe our final 15 minutes....hmmmm...oh yes this works



Mia lost her ever-lovin' mind people. The moment we began the descent she decided very emphatically that she wanted off the plane. I think in fact, she screamed those exact words. GET ME OFF THIS PLANE! Believe me, if she knew any profanities she would have screamed em'. She proceeded to get hysterical and frightened and annoyed. It was heart breaking to watch. Eugene and I ended up switching seats and I held her as tight as I could and told her that it would soon be over. And sure enough as soon as we landed she calmed down. I felt horrible for the woman in the seat in front of us who got kicked about 12 times in the process.

EXHAUSTING.

As we walked to the baggage claim, the girls ran to find their Grandpa (Lolo) and jumped into his arms. And about 20 minutes after we got our bags we all ate at In-n-Out and it made everything alright.

It's good to be back.