Well, we arrived safe and sound back home yesterday - although quite late. We were originally scheduled to leave BWI airport at 2:15 on a United flight connecting through Chicago. At first, our plane was delayed 30 minutes, then an hour, and then two hours. At the two hour delay mark, they informed me that we would miss our connecting flight home and United did not have any flights connecting back here through Chicago or Denver.
So, at 2pm, they put us on a Delta flight leaving at 2:55pm, connecting through Atlanta. Sounded like a good idea at the time, however, they pulled our bags off the Chicago flight and put them at the baggage claim in the BWI airport. So, with Katie strapped to my front in a Baby Bjorn, my backpack and DVD strapped to the back of a stroller and Ethan in the stroller for counterbalance, I RAN as fast as I could without alerting authorities back out of security. I ran through one terminal to get a skycap who followed me back to the other terminal with my two suitcases and two car seats. By this time, it was 2:15 and the baggage check for the flight was closed. They were able to check my large suitcase and car seats, but not my smaller suitcase. With two children, a backpack, removing the DVD player, the baby bjorn, both pairs of our shoes, declaring all my liquids, breaking down the stroller, and now having an extra suitcase in tow - I had a feeling I wouldn't make it to the gate (which was the LAST C gate in the concourse) by 2:45pm. But I let the guy check our bags. Sure enough, just as he was about to print boarding passes, something went wrong with our tickets and he informed me that we would need to take the 5pm through SLC. Well, at least I knew my bag and the car seats would make it.
So, we went and stood in ANOTHER line for 30 minutes to get on the SLC flight. I met a nice woman from Nigeria and we conversed in French for awhile. I also met a delightful couple on their way to Italy, so I guess it wasn't a waste. After we got our tickets, we went through security, at which point my suspicions about not making it were confirmed. Apparently, if you change flights or go through security twice in one day you are targeted for the "extended search." So, Katie and I were pat down while Ethan basically got a pat on the head. We finally made it on our flight and to SLC.
Once arriving at SLC, our flight home was supposed to leave at 9:20pm, however, the plane did not have enough weight in the cargo area, so we sat at the gate for 30 minutes while they shifted weight around. We finally arrived home at midnight and I've never been so happy to see my bed. All in all, it was very eventful, but Ethan and Katie did very well, even if their Mom got a bit teary-eyed at one point :). But the trip was worth it and we are so glad we got to see family.
I will be posting pictures later today and this week with all our Eastern Adventures.
4 comments:
Ugh... Sounds like a nightmare. Glad you survived - can't wait to see your trip pics!
You are very brave to cross country with two little ones. Can't wait to see your pictures.
Yikes! What an airport adventure.
Your trip home was a nightmare of all trips! It upset me so much when I heard about it that I cried! I told everybody back East - the family and co-workers. Everyone I told recated with horror especially considering that you were traveling with a 2-month old and a 4 1/2 year old! I am amazed at the hardiness and pioneer spirit you demonstrated in traveling back-and-forth across the country with two little ones in toe. many parents would not even venture to the local park or grocery store with their little ones unless they had a helper. But I am really, really glad you came I bonded more deeply with Ethan and fell in love with Katie - she is truly, truly an amazing infant! Love, Dad/PaPa Burton
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