Our Trip Home

As I said I would more details about our trip home...but really "delayed" is the best way to describe it - we left Memphis about five hours late - we were kept in a room with a broken vending machine. It would have been nice to have food other than a few biscuits and snack items. But we survived.

Then we were to be on the ground in CA for four hours - but that turned into more like six...at least one was spent on a bus on the runway and then maybe another one on the plane before we finally took off.

In Hawaii we were to have a 19 hour lay over for "crew rest" (which is normal). That turned into a extra 24 hours wait. At one point we were taken on the bus to the plane and watched the luggage and food loaded on before they took up back to the terminal. Very frustrating. I needed to keep repeating, "It's free....this is free....free." The kids and I ended up spending one night in the terminal because they didn't tell us the flight would be delayed until about 10:30 pm - way too late to call my friend to come and get me (her husband was gone and she has four kids under 8). I did think about just taking a taxi to a hotel - as Drew said he would have! But with three kids, three large suitcases, and four back=packs, it was just easier to stay with than calling around for a hotel, then a taxi, etc.

When we got to Hawaii, we found friends in the terminal - so we weren't alone. The teenager that I mentor in sewing and her family was there - her mom is a friend so it was great to be with them. They had already been in HI two night waiting for a flight. Leslee and I became friends with another mom there. Dawn was with her four year old. They had been there for three weeks visiting her husband (who was TDY off his Navy ship) and a friend.

In fact I brought Dawn and her daughter home with me two nights here in Guam as they were stuck here. Thankfully late yesterday they finally got back to their house in Japan. She and most of the others on the flight trying to get to Japan finally gave up on that plane and took another one to Japan. In fact, I think the plane is still here in Guam broken.

Looking back, it could have been so much worse. I meet other military moms traveling with children that had been stuck either in CA or HI for over a week. It really could have been so much worse.

Overall, the kids were good. Those little "DS" games they had gotten were a great help in keeping them entertained.

The good part is I now have a new friend, Dawn - it was really nice to meet her. We're going to try to meet up again in Hawaii where the regional PWOC is hosting a retreat.

So, now we're home - today I finally got everything out of the suitcases and put away. I've been busy making sure all of my PWOC responsibilities are taken care of and we are getting ready for our fall Bible studies and retreats. Lots of things planned!

There's No Place Like Home....

Hello....yea...it's been awhile - sorry for that. I was just busy (or lazy) while on my trip home. Then there was the trip back...that just drained me. I did the military hopping and this time around it was an adventure called "Delayed". If it could have a delay, it did.

I left my mother's house on Tuesday driving to Memphis for a flight that was to leave Wed morning, but ended up leaving Wed afternoon. Long story short: I finally got back to Guam Saturday at midnight here which is Saturday morning in the States - that's four days of traveling.

I'll give more details later - off to bed for my boys and me soon to follow!

State-side Update

Since I've last posted we have enjoyed more family time. We were able to see just about all of my family (only my uncle and aunt from VA were absent) Saturday night. It was a great visit with my cousin and his family and my aunt. We were also able to get Drew some clothes that actually fit him.

And let me tell you how good he looks! Yummy!

Sunday I went to the church that I was baptized in...except they have torn down that building and have a huge new building and of course, after all these years there's a different pastor. So...not really at the same church. It was nice - the pastor was very good.

Monday we went back to Natchez to see one of Drew's brother's that was out of town last weekend. We left the kids with Drew's parents while we made a quick trip to Jackson. We had a great supper and visit with my aunt, then got up very early so Drew could make it to the airport. He's now back in Guam after a very long, but smooth trip.

After another night in Natchez visiting the in-laws there, the kids and I are now in Mandeville, LA visiting our former Maryland neighbors. It's been great seeing them - my boys are just so happy to be with their friends again.

We were going to visit another family, but they are sick - yuck. We'll skip the germs! Tomorrow we'll head back to West Monroe to hang out for the weekend. As of now, my flight leaves Memphis on Wednesday morning. If all goes well, we'll be in Guam next Friday night Guam time.

Oh yeah - I went to Target today. Deep sigh....heaven! And I found a World Market - also heaven!

Lots of Family Time

We flow in on Wednesday and by Thursday afternoon we had made our way to the lake house owned by one of Drew's brothers. We stayed there until late Monday morning. We had a great time being lazy, watching the kids swim, and just visiting with all the family and friends that came in.

The kids had a blast with all their cousins. This is what Drew and I miss the most with us living so away: the kids growing up with family close by. In fact right now William and Ben are still at the boy cousin's house and we have all the girls here at Nana and Papaw's house.

Yesterday I went shopping at Wal-Mart...by. my.self. It was WONDERFUL! I found several great "bargains". Packages of erasers for ten cents. Rubbermaid sandwiches containers - a set of four for only a dollar. Great size water bottles for fifty cents. It was delightful!

Today I went to the mall and also had a delightful time. I found several shirts for five dollars a piece. YEAH!

But what cracked me up was one ladies' question. In several stores I made the comment that I was really enjoying the shopping - the selection - that I just didn't have that where I lived. Most replied, "Where are you from?" or"Where do you live?" But my favorite - "Where you stay?"

Oh, yeah...I'm back in the South.

Journey's End

After 63 hours of leaving our house, we arrived at my in-laws'. So nice to see family. Over-all it was a great trip - the flights worked out.

We easily got on a flight out of Guam on a c17. At first they said there were 20 seats, then 50, then 70 and finally 89 - a very full flight. C17 has "sling" seats and they allow you to lay on the floor. For an eight hour flight in the middle of the night, it's nice to be able to stretch-out.

We did have a momentary scare - as we all were getting settled in our seats, a loud horn started to sound and the lights went off, then flashed for a few minutes. It's was a little dis-comforting as we watched a few of the crew run around in a panic. But several were not in a panic so that was nice. It only lasted a few minutes and we all were very relieved that it ended.

We landed in Hawaii around 9 a.m. local time. It took us a few hours for us to set our suitcase, sign up for a flight, figure out about hotel and car. Drew and I both thought is was ironic that the day we would like someone to pick us up - none of our friends were able to. His friends/co-workers were at a firing range and my friend had car issues. But it all worked out - it's called "taxi"!

Some friends, Paul & Robyn, that we were stationed together in CA years ago were actually vacationing in HI this week, so after we got settled in our room and took a nap, we meet them for dinner. - So nice to see them! - Way too short though.

When we left the terminal there were several flights going to CA, but by the next morning there was only one in the morning and one close to midnight. The morning flight was also a C17, but this time the 20 seats turned in 9. But the grace of God we still got on! As they were doing roll call, my heart was just pounding as I prayed.

We kept telling the kids we would have a vacation - either in MS or in HI, but we all really wanted it to be in MS with family.

The flight to CA was five and half -I was surprised it was that long. This flight seemed colder than the first one. This one had jeeps and hummers down the middle - which is one reason there was only 20 seats. Then the 11 army guys who "own" the jeeps took some of the seats. They did have room for more people, but the base we flow into is a reservist base and the terminal there is not set up for massive amounts of people. In fact they only had a small bus and they said they would take us to the base billeting or the front gate if we had someone waiting for us.

Which we did! We got to visit with another set of CA friends, Dan & Cindy while we had dinner and they drove us to a hotel close to the airport where we had commercial tickets for Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday we flew into Jackson where my parents and niece meet us. We only visited with them for a few minutes as we drove to Natchez. Today we'll go out to Drew's brother's lake house and spend the holiday weekend there. At some point next week we'll drive up to West Monroe, LA where my parents and brother live. Drew is flying back to Guam on the 14 July while the kids and I will hop back through Memphis around the 15 or 22 July.

Melissa and I are waiting for the stores to open - we'll need our Kelly's Kid fix as well as Darby's...and several other stores....let the fun begin!

Hang Loose

We're in Hawaii - we had a nice flight...if you call sleeping either in a sling seat or the floor nice...but hey! It was free! I'll take it!

Tonight we got to have dinner with our good friends Robyn and Paul. We were stationed together in CA - so good to see them! And to meet their kids - so grown up!

Tomorrow there's a few flights to CA - praying that we get the first one, but will be happy with any of them!

The Adventure Begins

So far this adventure is going well. We have seats on a plane - we'll see if it actually takes off and lands in HI.....part one of our 2009 Hopping Adventure.

Sunday

So....yeah....it's been a few days since I've posted....not sure why I couldn't get it done. We had a good week - the kids got lots of playing done. We even went to the beach one afternoon. We tried to get some bowling in, but they were closed because the A/C was out. The biggest event of the week was I hurt my shoulder - again. And yes, it was exercising - again. It feels much better today. I plan to rest it for the next several weeks, then re-join my group. If the shoulder starts to hurt again, I'll go in to the doctor's.

I really had a good time exercising with my friends though - even if I complained through most of the time! This group has been meeting for several months but because of subbing at the school I never could join till this summer.

Right now our big news is we are trying to get to the States to spend part of July with our families. Drew's leave begins in five and half hours! YEAH! We will be 'hopping' - military space available. The flight we really wanted that would have taken us all the way to Memphis is not coming this way this week like we thought it would. So, we're on to plan B.

There are several flights out of here Monday and Tuesday going towards Hawaii and the States. We're hoping God blesses us with five seats on one of the flights....we are ready for a good dose of family and the States!

If All Goes Well...

If all goes well this will be the last posting from Mississippi for a while. All the stuff is in the suitcases, the suitcase have been zipped and stuffed into the rental van (we don't have a car that all six of us - me, the kids, and my parents- can fit in, so we had to rent one). I think at least two of the suitcases are below fifty pounds. The third one? Well, maybe they won't weigh that one...

I don't I'll be able to post on the way, so the next time you hear from me it'll be from Paradise.

The Hopping Adventure: 4

What a great hop!! When we got to the terminal, there were about a dozen or so people ahead of us with only 10 seats. But at roll call, they released 25 seats - four of which was ours!! We left Guam by 3. It was an eight hour flight to Hi. I thought we would have a 12 to 18 (maybe even 20) hour delay for crew rest, but they just placed a new crew on board and we only had a two hour lay-over. Then we were off to Shreveport in seven hours.

Drew's counter-part at the base is a friend and he meet us on the flight-line and took great care of us! We did have to wait almost an hour for a luggage, but then he took us to the front gate where my parents were waiting.

The flight was a contract where World Airlines is hired to transport troops to and from bases, so we were on a regular plane with regular seats - no sling seats!!

It was just a great time hopping!

As I said to Melissa: God is good...all the time!

We are currently at my brother's house and tomorrow we will drive up to my parents house and will stay there for a week or so.

The Hopping Adventure: 3

We're just about off to the terminal to see if we can get on the flight to Shreveport of not. If you don't see a post for a while then you know that we're in the air!!

The Hopping Adventure: 2

Today all the flights were still going to Kansas. But I did run into a lady at the commissary that is in "the know". She thought the Memphis flight was last week, so I might have missed that one. But for me to keep watching b/c she thought there would be lots of flights out during the rest of the week. Right now they are advertising a flight to HI then onto Barksdale AFB which is in Bossier City, LA (Shreveport, LA) - which would SO WORK!! And after I get to HI, there maybe other flights that would work too.

So, in the morning we'll call or go to the terminal and see what else has popped up. Right now there are only 10 seats on the Barksdale flight (and I need 4 of those), and that could change. I'm finishing up some laundry and will finishing pack all those last-minutes things and hopefully will be out of here soon!!

I'm trying to have patience - not my strong suit. The last time I hopped - ten years ago - I got impatience and got on the wrong flight and got stuck for several days. I'm trying to avoid that this time and listen to my voice of reason (that would be Drew!).

Update: Drew went by the terminal tonight. As of now there are 33 people ahead of us. The flight can hold 300, but already has at least 100 or more and will pick up that many here before they start on the list that I'm on. Pray that more seats will open and that there's room for us!!

The Hopping Adventure: 1

Today I talked to flight terminal here and there are no flights that will get me to CA or Memphis. The flight out tomorrow (our Monday) and the three flights on Tuesday all either stop in HI or go from there to Kansas. And since I don't know anyone in Kansas, that does me no good. Right now the plan is to sit here in Guam and see what flights come up for Wednesday and Thursday...hoping that Memphis flights comes through. If by the weekend nothing comes up that will get me all the way there or to CA, then we'll take a flight to HI and hang out there until I get on a flight to the Mainland.