Runnin' and Gunnin'

Ok, sports fans.  No more tears.  Buckle your seatbelts and get ready to laugh.  Do I have a story for you…

It all started at 3:00 am.  Alarms buzzed and bags started flying into the back of my dad’s truck.  We were able to condense the clothes, shoes, toys, Christmas presents, sippy cups, and other STUFF into 6 checked and 6 carry-on bags.  (In addition to the Fed-Ex freight shipment that will arrive at our new home tomorrow.)  We woke Brynna at the last minute and pulled away from the house at 4:15am.  At 4:30, I realized we forgot the stroller, so we made an illegal U-Turn on the turnpike.  By the time we got the stroller and to the airport, it was 5:00 am – exactly one hour before our flight.  We got through checking the baggage and car seat with only minor injuries and then…we got to Security.  Apparently half of Oklahoma and a quarter of Kansas was headed to football bowl games, so we joined a line of approximately 7,000 people.  I would be happy to give my critiques to the TSA employees at Tulsa International Airport about how to better expedite customers flying with children – namely, don’t use that line for airport employees – but I’ll draft those thoughts in a separate memo.  After 45 minutes in the security line, we heard them give the final boarding call for our flight.  Our sense of urgency did not make the precious TSA folks move any faster and when one woman got an attitude with me, I thought we might be bailing David out of jail.  David and Brynna were the first through Security so he threw her in the stroller and they took off running. BG was convinced this was all a fun ride.  As David ran down the concourse, she waved to passers-by and yelled “WHEEE!”  David rounded the corner to the gate just in time to find out that our seats had been given away.  While he had a conversation (that almost resulted in another arrest), I continued to struggle with the TSA Lovelies.  I appreciate safety and security immensely, but the thoroughness with which my friend checked out Brynna’s applesauce and pudding containers was overkill and slightly concerning.  I finally broke free and Yaya, Papa and I set off for the gate.  When David called to give us the update, we all took out running and barely made the flight as they pulled off the passengers to whom they had given our seats. 

Once aboard, the first short flight was fairly uneventful.  (As uneventful as a plane flight with a toddler can be.)  We deplaned in Dallas, grabbed some breakfast and boarded the second – and final – flight.  Brynna napped a bit and the rest of us tried not to pass out from the exhaustion of our morning.  By the last 45 minutes, I was on my last emotional string, at which point, I felt water dripping on me from the overhead air spout.  Because of all things, that’s what I needed…rain!  On a plane!  And all this before noon…

Once in DC, David went to get the rental car while Yaya, Papa, BG and I gathered the luggage.  We stepped out to meet David, expecting to see him with the SUV we rented.  Instead, we found David with a station wagon masquerading as an SUV.  For future reference: if you need space for 4 adults, 1 child in a car seat and 12 bags, the Nissan Rogue is not the best pick.  By the time we got it all to fit, my mom and I were sitting in the backseat hugging our knees while my dad pushed from the outside to get the door to close.  We figured we only had to get to the hotel and then the discomfort would be over.  We figured wrong.

We arrived at the Marriott Residence Inn around 1:00 pm (EST – it was only noon by all our clocks).  David went to check us in and was told the room wasn’t ready, as check-in wasn’t until 3:00.  We understood, asked if they could be ready by 2:30 and went off to find lunch. David and I had an appointment at our new house for the final walk-thru, so around 2:30 we went back to the hotel to drop off Yaya, Papa and BG only to learn the room still wasn’t ready.  They informed us the previous patrons had just left and the room would be cleaned and ready by 4:30pm.  In the meantime, we were given a studio room so we could attempt getting Brynna down for a nap.  The mass of luggage came out of the Rogue so we could easily get it to our room once ready, and David and Papa ran to the grocery store.  At 5:00 pm, I called, was again given the story about the previous patrons and told the room would be ready in 30 minutes.  Just after 5:30 pm, I called back.  The room still wasn’t ready!

I must pause in the story to remind you…I have a 21-month-old baby girl who, on a good day, has more energy and spunk than her little body can hold.  After 3 weeks of living out of suitcases in various hotels and a whole day of traveling, she was DONE.  To say we were having a meltdown is a huge understatement.

I called the Marriott, told them to cancel our reservation and then dialed Embassy Suites down the road.  When David and Papa returned, we loaded the Rogue once again and headed to yet another hotel.  This time, in addition to the luggage, we had 4 bags of groceries!  My dad and David both pushed to get the back hatch to close and my mom and I prayed the short trip to the new hotel that we wouldn’t spend the rest of the night cleaning our clothes off Route 7. 

We are finally settled for the night.  We have a room far nicer than we would have and BG has an actual crib instead of a poor excuse for a pack ‘n’ play.  Yaya and Papa have their own room (adjoined but with the ability to close the door), so hopefully they get a very well-deserved good night’s rest.

Tomorrow’s agenda is the house closing and Day One of unloading all our belongings.  We know we can make it through anything at this point, so we’re looking forward to an exciting day!