Somehow we made it!

Well, it had to happen at some point...our vacation came to an end. We were super sad to say goodbye to Pop-Pop and SuSu and G-doc and Gigi, but we were all very excited to get home to Daddy and all our toys (Jack!) 

I planned everything about our trip home down to the last minute detail. I was planning to fly by myself with the two kids from Brunswick (GA) airport to Atlanta, and then have a two-hour layover for dinner and diaper changes before boarding the 7:40pm plane to San Francisco. I had our bags perfectly packed, and I thought I hit the balance of being prepared for anything but also not bringing too many things to carry.

I should have known, with my luck traveling, that it would NEVER go as planned! We made it to the airport in plenty of time, bags checked, car seats checked, and I even got Pop-Pop a special security pass so that he could help me go through the security checkpoint with the kids. Check, check, check. Everything went fine.

As we were preparing to board, they announced that they had to have a mechanic come look at a problem with the aircraft. Uh-oh.

I have to say: NO ONE working at this airport had ANY sense of urgency.

 We finally (FINALLY) boarded the plane around 6pm. We taxied out to the runway and I thought I might actually have a shot at making my flight with time to spare.

Nope. We couldn't get clearance from Atlanta air traffic to take off. We had to wait until 6:25 to take off. The kids were great, and there was a super nice older gentleman sitting next to me who helped me with an extra hand when I needed it.

We touched down in Atlanta at 7:15. It took a few minutes to taxi into our gate and deplane. Luckily our stroller was right there at the gate and I threw Jack in, our stuff in, and strapped baby girl tighter to me...and I RAN! I ran like the wind! We had landed at gate D41 and I had to get to A21. NIGHT-MARE. I looked at my phone on the train and it was 7:34. Oops.

I ran and flew into the elevator, onto the train, and tried to catch my breath. Then I did some more running. I heard my name over the PA system as I ran into the right gate - I had just made it. I thought I was going to throw up. Both kids were laughing hysterically because they thought all the running was really fun. I did NOT think it was very fun. I was sore today in places I didn't even know I had!

Anyway, we ran onto the plane and they shut the door right behind us. I settled in and started to feed Caroline because she was hungry. All of a sudden, they came over the intercom and said that they were going to take us off the plane because of a maintenance problem. (SERIOUSLY?!?!)

So off we went. Since I had gate-checked the stroller, they couldn't get it back to me. So now I had two kids, one on a leash (Jack) and one strapped to me (Caroline) and our bags and nothing to put them in.

I went to the nearest food kiosk and grabbed yogurt, hummus, fruit, water, juice, and pretzels. I somehow managed to use the bathroom while Jack held our bags (yes really...he was GREAT!)

I found a quiet corner and made them little beds. They were both getting sleepy. And we waited. Everyone around us was getting really angry (I felt bad for the lady that had missed her flight to Tokyo at this point.) I was pretty calm, considering.

Relaxing in the Atlanta A concourse. 

When we first boarded.

Finally, around 10pm, they let us back on the plane. Everyone boarded in record time, and I got on just in time to catch some of the swimming Olympic events. Both kids were asleep before we even got off the ground. I watched a free movie, some more Olympics, caught up on the news, and before I knew it, we were landing in San Francisco. It was 12:05am local time, 3:05am EST.

10 minutes later.

Justin was there right at the gate, and Jack was SO excited to see him. He chattered the whole way home, and we all cuddled up and got to sleep by about 1:30am. It was a VERY VERY LONG DAY and I have NO desire to ever fly Delta again, but what can I say? I survived, the kids were amazingly great, and I am sure I will have the opportunity to show my Mommy-flying chops again soon. :)

Caroline happy to be back in her own bed, with her own toys!