...they all were part of my trip home :) So, I thought since I was doing soooooo well with blogging, I would try to get back on the ball....since I have a little more time now. I started typing this up on the plane, so it was a work in progress.
Friday, 14 September
After about 2 hours of sleep, I woke up...30 minutes before my alarm went off. I got up, made coffee, finished up the last few things I had to do, and then got Roy up and ready. Since I had put our bags and his stroller in the car the night before, all we had to do was get ready. We managed....for the first time since he was born...to be leaving on time for something! At 5:05 we were in the car and on our way (with a quick stop to mail bills and get some money out of the ATM).
The drive didn't seem like it took 3 hours, though I had someone to talk to, and the traffic wasn't bad(although I wasn't driving). I even got to the airport in time to get my name on the list to try to get out on an earlier flight...and to Pope AFB, NC. Unfortunately, there was an issue with my paperwork (although no one else leaving from the unit seemed to have an issue!) so I did not make it on that flight. However, I did make it on a med evac flight that was going to Andrews AFB in Maryland. Getting everything checked in was easy- security, although a pain in the ass, was a breeze as well. The wait in the terminal wasn't even bad- maybe 10 or 15 minutes. We took a shuttle bus across the runway to our plane, where someone (not the pilot, but whoever was in charge of the plane) came and explained the flight- and how it was different than a "normal" flight. This was a med evac flight, so there were soldiers on there who had been wounded and were being taken back to the states. They were first priority. There could be no photos taken on the plane, for their privacy. There was also a deadhead crew that was headed back stateside.
Now, I would like to point out (before I continue with my story) that there are still decent people in the world, who will go out of their way to show kindness to someone who needs help. As I was walking up to the bus, the man in front of me turned, and seeing I had a car seat with a baby, a carry on suitcase, and a diaper bag, offered to help me get things on the bus. He then told me he would be more than happy to help me get on the plane, although he didn't have to because the bus driver took the diaper bag, and the man from the plane took my suitcase, so I was left carrying just Roy. The kindness carries on later also :)
Anyway, the plane was a C-17 (HUGE plane) that was all open on the inside. The seats are against the walls, facing in towards the middle. Towards the front were 2 rows of hospital "bunks"- best way I could describe it- one on each side, near the seats. Each row had 4 bunks, so 16 "beds" total, though the beds were like field gurneys that fit into slots on the bunk rails. I didn't study the people in them as we walked in (it was none of my business, and I didn't want to seem rude) but from what I could see from my seat, there were a few people with bummed legs (I think broken)- there was a guy opposite of us on the bottom bunk who was awake most of the flight and watched Roy whenever he was out of his car seat. I think the guy above him was a little more hurt, as he was hooked up to IVs and had a catheter. I think there were 11 beds that were "occupied", which is sad, but I was glad that the injuries weren't worse- and that they were just "hurt" and not worse off!
Our flight also had a deadhead crew on it- who were so funny to watch (in the beginning before they all went to sleep). These guys, for the most part, were older- I would say 40s-50s, with a pup (maybe around my age) thrown in the mix. Of course the young fella was the first to fall asleep- before the plane even took off, and there was a guy who was taking pics of him asleep. The guy that was sitting between the two drew a mustache on his index finger, and held it up to the sleeping guys face to get a picture like that...they were having a great time...and a few of them ended up with mustache pics. It seemed like they probably enjoyed working together, or maybe they were just so tired they were goofy.
The guy who was taking the pictures reminded me a lot of grandaddy Ashburn. He was tall and fairly slim, but built. He had a lot of the same facial features- so I think I probably stared at him a lot before we went to sleep, just because it was so strange to see someone look so much like him. His hands even reminded me of grandpa's, and he walked like he did after he hurt his back. It was very bittersweet to see him.
Roy has done pretty good so far (we have about 2 hours left of the flight, so I cannot speak of the entire trip). The man next to us did wake me up once because he was crying (the plane is VERY loud, so we have earplugs in...probably best, because Roy pitched a royal fit!). He was fine though- I bounced him and played with him, and all went back to being right in the world. Roy has flirted with every woman we encountered today- from the USO lady at the airport, to the women on our flight. They all think he is neat, and he enjoys the attention. The funniest part (to me anyway) is how Roy acted towards the man who sat next to us on the flight. He is a middle aged black man, and Roy was fascinated with him...like he stared at him almost the entire flight while he was awake. I am not sure if it is because he is just there, or because Roy hasn't really been around anyone who isn't white...but even now, while he is eating (for the past 20 min), he hasn't stopped staring at him.
Ok, back to the kindness....they are all very sharing too. The man beside us is married to a very sweet Asian lady, and she offered to watch him if I needed to go to the restroom. The German lady next to her shared some of her snacks (some sort of German dried meat sticks- no clue what they were, but they were good). Make me a little sad I didn't have anything to share back. The German lady saw me trying to hold Roy and spread his blanket out for him to lay and kick in the floor on, so she came and helped me do it. While Roy was playing, the Asian lady tickled and talked to him. I may be in big trouble when he gets older...if he keeps it up with the ladies.
After our flight, we took a bus from the planet to the building- but first we stopped and got our luggage put on the bus. I told them from the beginning that I did not see one of my suitcases. So, I had to wait for them to go back to the plane and look. **Everyone was in dress blues and high strung because Air force 1 had just left with the President and VP...the bodies of the 4 people who were killed in Libya had arrived at Andews...Very sad.** Anyway, as it turns out- my suitcase was MIA...so after the security guard had let me into the area where the rental car place was (and told me he would watch my bags) and then whoever was in charge of that area fussed at me, and then at him- I had to go back through security to file a missing luggage claim. The car rental rental place stayed open so I could rent the last car- a Mazda 3 (which made me glad they lost one of my bags...as not everything would have fit!). Now, as the plane landed, and I turned on my Verizon cell to let people know I was in the states...it decided to pick that moment to not work anymore...of course. So, I asked if anyone knew where a Verizon was...of course they didn't...so I asked where a Walmart was, so I could get a prepaid deal (so I wasn't driving somewhere I didn't know without a phone). The lady at the rental car place game an address- it was to a Kmart though (who cares- I got a phone...lol) and by the time I was ready to hit the road, Roy was having a meltdown (and I was well on my way as well!). I had to stop and buy a jug of water so that I could make his bottles, and then we were off to start the trip home.
I would like to point out that by this time, it was about 6:30 EST, which means it was 12:30am on Saturday Germany time....and I had been up since 3:30am Friday. The trip out of the city I was in started out very interesting- Roy in the back screaming and a SUV of fellas honking and writing things on napkins and holding them up to the window....I was very glad when we parted ways. I had planned to drive until about 9:00pm, but I didn't make it that long. I made it to about 8pm or so, and pulled over in Manassas, Virginia and found a Best Western. The poor man behind the counter was fairly worried about me...and kept asking if everything was ok. lol. Apparently jet lagged is not a good look on me. He got me a nice room, on the bottom floor, and gave me a menu for the restaurant that was there, and said if I ordered before 10, it was room service. After I got us settled down, I finally decided on a salad and a soup, and an hour later (because apparently they had to grow all the veg) it came. I ate, and passed out.
Saturday, 15 September
Roy slept pretty decent...until 4:20 (on the dot). I tried to get him to go back to sleep, but he wasn't having it, so I just got up and got ready, and we were on our way by 6:15 or so. The GPS had me take I-81 across Virginia- which was a beautiful drive. I was glad that I took that way, since I hadn't ever driven that, but also because it was so pretty. I hit very little traffic, and drove through rolling hills and mountains almost the whole time. We stopped a few times to feed Roy and get coffee. I had to stop to get gas twice...it only took $30 to put 3/4 of a tank it...and it only took about a tank and a quarter to get from almost DC to the Asheville airport. I was pretty impressed with that- since I usually drive a tank, and it takes about $70 to fill it up.
***I did get a call from Andrews AFB Sunday night telling me that they had found my luggage- and asking how close I was to there. They are going to get it out to Charleston as soon as they can, and hopefully get it FedExed to me ASAP...as I have very few weather appropriate clothes (I packed my winter coat, and some "Christmas" shirt in Roy's luggage...) Hopefully that will happen soon!
