Sunday 7 September 2008

Yes, this is my life

I just got home - 10 o'clock Sunday night when I was suppose to be home Friday night at 7. What happened you ask? or maybe not, but I'm telling you anyway.

We had a very long wait at BWI, but the USO was terrific and stayed open late for our flight.
We trekked to our terminal at 10 to see if we would get on our military hop back to Aviano. They started calling names as to who got on and at 11:15 they said the flight was closed without calling our name. I thankfully found a terrific woman who is married to a man stationed here and she and I remained optimistic that we would get on. The scoop was that 50 active duty members didn't show and if they didn't come by midnight, we would get their seats. Sure enough, they called our name at midnight. We cried "YIPEE" and got on the plane and left. All probably within 45 minutes of our name being called.

The flight was good until the last 2 hours. I had a wonderful active duty member going to Doha sitting by me. Please pray for her as she is leaving behind her young family until February and her youngest just started Kindgergarten. God knew to put her by me.

What happened you ask? Jacqueline started throwing up - out of nowhere. I grabbed the blankets, anything I could find as I was pretty bleary-eyed. I'm handing Julia to my fellow passenger. I get Jacqueline cleaned up. I think we are okay the she starts again. Julia to the passenger next to me and everyone handing blankets again. This time her clothes are a mess. I only put Julia's clothes in the backpack at my feet and Jacqueline's are in her suitcase above our heads. Well, I can't get the bin open. No one can get the bin open. We'll have to smell this until we land. The wonderful flight attendant brings me washcloths, water, blankets etc. and I discover she has also pooped all over the seat.

No, it's not over. Julia has to join the act and throw up too! Then just before we land or maybe as we land, Jacqueline throws up again!!!!!!

Someone finally get the bin open after we land, we change her clothes and are the last ones off the plane. I am apologizing and thanking everyone. At least this happened on a military flight and everyone was soo good to us. Except "the man." I get off the plane and am directed to a room for a briefing for those going on to Aviano. I am sternly talked to b/c I missed the briefing. Well, I sternly told him back that my daughter had been throwing up and I thought it would be a good idea to get her cleaned up as they didn't want throw-up all over the room or maybe even on them.

Okay, we are an hour away from getting back on the plane. Jacqueline and Julia haven't thrown-up in the last 15 minutes. SCORE.

I am so wrong.

I get it, but, out the other end. Sorry, I know, not polite, but it's part of this saga. I seriously was just standing there watching them play. Thankfully, I am wearing black knit pants. Try cleaning yourself up in a bathroom with two small children when you hope they aren't calling your flight to be boarded.

Except... this isn't what happens. No. No. Instead, your flight gets delayed for an undetermined time and they are going to shuttle all 300 of you to a nearby hotel and take you to dinner.

You just have to laugh at this point. I don't have any Prosecco or Linda or Dawn or Amy or Jen or Tina or anyone - so I just keep laughing.

But the heavens part and the angels sing as I am waddling to the buses, Michael has sent his counterpart at Ramstein to save me. He tells me a hotel reservation on base has been made and he had snacks and drinks for the girls in his van..just right there. Michael doesn't know I am sick or the girls have been sick - we haven't spoken.

Jeff drops me off wanting to take me to the Commissary etc., but I beg off. I just want to get cleaned up and the girls cleaned up and sleep...forever. I walk in the door of our place get cleaned up and go to bed. I put the snacks and drinks where the girls can reach them and put a movie in. Jacqueline told me in the morning how she took really good care of Julia. I saw them both in bed at one point. I was horribly ill all night and in a fetal position when Michael came in. He drove up to Ramstein (9-10 hour drive) to get us.

On the way home we saw three spectacular rainbows in the Alps. All is well and we are safe at home again.