"'Well, I'm back,' (s)he said."
Well after many perils and shades of emotions, I'm back in beloved England. Here's a bit of how things went for me over the past few days. I'm too lazy to type it out again, so for those of you who have already read this, sorry! For those of you who haven't, be prepared, this is a long one!
Well, its a beautiful cold Saturday morning here and I thought I'd write in between bouts of my jet lag to let you know how the last couple of days have been for me. After I said bye at the airport (and the whole overweight baggage saga), I went through security without any qualms and sat at the gate. I was too busy writing in my journal (and admiring my new "Mary Poppins/George Bailey bag") to realize that people were growing uneasy around me. Sure enough, I looked up and saw the passengers of tehincoming flight coming out of the gate about 30 minutes late. An announcement was made for volunteers to ride on the 6pm flight to Chicago rather than the 4pm we were all waiting for. But then, they called my name and gave me mys eatinginformation and everyone else started to load onto the plane so I didn't think too much about it. After pulling away from the gate, I thanked my lucky stars that we were still on time and that I had an hour layover awaiting me in Chicago. Right after praying that, teh captain came on and said "Sorry folks, there's snow in Chicago and airtraffic has been slowed down. I'm afraid we'll have to sit here on the runway for about 55 minutes." I think I groaned the loudest. Thankfully we were on our way in only 20 minutes and managed to get to Chicago only 15 minutes late. My flight was supposed to leave at 7:30 and it was only 6:30. I breatehd a sigh of relief.....
Until the captain came on once again and announced that all the gates were full with planes that were being de-iced. We'd have to wait untilt hey pulled out. I looked outside- there wasn't even any freaking snow to enjoy! By the time I got off the plane it was 7:05 and I looked at the airport guide, seeing that my gate was on the opposite side of the airport. I still had to get my ticket and switch airlines! Dang it! I jog-walked as fast as my little legs could carry me and all my carry-on crap. I arrived, huffing and puffing, at the American Airlines ticketing desk and slapped my passport down on the counter.
"Ms. Mitchell, I'm sorry but its 7:20 and you'll never make it to the gate on time."
"What if I go now? Can you just give me my ticket?!"
"HEY JOE! Can she make the 7:30 Chicago?.... I'm sorry Ms. Mitchell, you aren't going to make this flight, you'll have to wait for the next one tomorrow evening."
I didn't know whether to scream or cry, so I prayed my heart out within the next 3 seconds before continuing with my debate. "God, give me wisdom and favor!" God is good. A fellow employee to my ticketing woman came over and opted to let me just TRY to get to the gate and suggested we'd find another find only if I missed this one. I could've kissed her. She printed out my ticket and went with me through security, helping me take my shoes off and putting my laptop in a container to go through the scanner. Everyone was quite nice actually. I grabbed all my stuff and ran, in my socks all the way to the end of the terminal to gate K5. I felt I would collapse at any moment but I could just picture my plane pulling away from the gate so I kept going amidst my own gasps and the confused gazes of onlookers. As I approached the gate, one of the stewardesses called my name. "YES!!! I'm coming!!" She ushered me into the boarding passageway and I found myself shimmying sideways through long, dim aisles, past rows of seats with people already wrapped up in blankets and snoozing. My whole body was shaking from the weight of my bags when I finally found my seat in the back. I prayed for one last bit of strength to put my oversized coat and my laptop in the overhead bin and collapsed in my window seat after doing just that. The seat next to me remained empty until take off and I just sat there, catching my breath thanking the Lord over and over and over that I was there and that I had a whole row to myself for the overnight journey. That night I came within an inch of throwing up all over myself and I swallowed what few meager bites I could stomach of my dinner before curling up and sleeping the night away in sporadic cat naps.
We landed in Dublin and I was oh so tired but truly glad for the 4 hour layover. My baggage never came through on the line so after talking with the amazingly cute Irish man in the luggage area, I discovered that my bags had been checked all the way through to Birmingham after all. Great! I must've stayed in the bathroom for 20 minutes, freshening up, washing the plane smell off of me and trying to feel like I wasn't still putting over the Atlantic. Then I went outside and got some fresh air. (I can officially say I've been out and about in Dublin now, hehe.) I went through security and sat at my gate, watching the sun rise higher until it was time to go. I felt sick the entire time at the airport and prayed I'd just make it to Birmingham (gosh!). I did, and they let me thorugh customs without even barely looking at my passport. They neglected to give me a visa so Rich and I have to take care of that next week, but at that moment I just nodded and walked ahead. I didn't really give a care anymore, haha! I waited at the luggage carousel until everyone else had left and, just as I had expected, had to go to the help desk and report my luggage missing. They gave me a reference number and promised my luggage would come soon. I walked out throught the doors to meet Rich. "Se la vi." I was just so happy to be back on the ground and back in my Birmingham again I almost didn't care. I had my toothbrush, little pillow and laptop with me and my little house on Runnymede Road waiting for me. I walked out and saw Rich standing there in his usual blue jacket and silly grin- and everything was ok. He drove me home and as we got back intot he city, I saw some of the old familar places. It felt so much nicer coming this time. Last time was filled with wonder and dreamy curiosity. This time was like a homecoming in sme strange and happy way. It was nice and cold too- but not miserable.
When we pulled up to the house, I jumped out and noticed there was no car in the driveway. "Oh please God let there be someone there!" I tried the first door- open, the second door- open... and walked in. "Hello?!" Thankfully Nick was home early from school and I smotehred him in a huge hug. It was quite comic a few seconds later when he offered to help with my (heavy) stuff and Rich handed him my jacket and said there was nothing else, haha. Minutes later Charles and Sigrid came home from their church lunch club and amidst low key welcomes and mutterings of "my other daughter!" I gave them hugs as well. Rich left and Charles and Nick went to go pick up Toby. I went upstairs and unpacked what I could then came down to find Oskar had just gotten home from school. We were talking and laughing when I heard the door downstairs swing open and some voices. Then "M-m-megan! Megan! Meg! Meg? Meg?" I ran to the stairs and saw Toby just about the same time he saw me. He got immediately quiet and just started shaking. Nick pick him up and walked up the stairs where I met them halfway. Toby smiled and jumped on me. We talked adn hugged for a whole 10 minutes before he mentioned "the BIRDDDDD game!" Ruth came home later that night and its been nice sitting next to her and laughing again at the dinner table.
I've pretty much unpacked now and I'm almost all settled in. Sigrid says it feels like I never left, haha. I went to youth club last night and saw Arthy and the kids. They were all as happy to see me as I was to see them. We got to leave earlys ince hardly anyone showed up- it worked out because I got more time with each of the kids and lads that came before my jet lag kicked in. I'm glad to be back. I miss you guys already and I'm thinking of you always. Hope this wasn't too long, I thought you'd enjoy hearing the fine details of everything.I love you sooooooooo much!
Megan :)
Well, its a beautiful cold Saturday morning here and I thought I'd write in between bouts of my jet lag to let you know how the last couple of days have been for me. After I said bye at the airport (and the whole overweight baggage saga), I went through security without any qualms and sat at the gate. I was too busy writing in my journal (and admiring my new "Mary Poppins/George Bailey bag") to realize that people were growing uneasy around me. Sure enough, I looked up and saw the passengers of tehincoming flight coming out of the gate about 30 minutes late. An announcement was made for volunteers to ride on the 6pm flight to Chicago rather than the 4pm we were all waiting for. But then, they called my name and gave me mys eatinginformation and everyone else started to load onto the plane so I didn't think too much about it. After pulling away from the gate, I thanked my lucky stars that we were still on time and that I had an hour layover awaiting me in Chicago. Right after praying that, teh captain came on and said "Sorry folks, there's snow in Chicago and airtraffic has been slowed down. I'm afraid we'll have to sit here on the runway for about 55 minutes." I think I groaned the loudest. Thankfully we were on our way in only 20 minutes and managed to get to Chicago only 15 minutes late. My flight was supposed to leave at 7:30 and it was only 6:30. I breatehd a sigh of relief.....
Until the captain came on once again and announced that all the gates were full with planes that were being de-iced. We'd have to wait untilt hey pulled out. I looked outside- there wasn't even any freaking snow to enjoy! By the time I got off the plane it was 7:05 and I looked at the airport guide, seeing that my gate was on the opposite side of the airport. I still had to get my ticket and switch airlines! Dang it! I jog-walked as fast as my little legs could carry me and all my carry-on crap. I arrived, huffing and puffing, at the American Airlines ticketing desk and slapped my passport down on the counter.
"Ms. Mitchell, I'm sorry but its 7:20 and you'll never make it to the gate on time."
"What if I go now? Can you just give me my ticket?!"
"HEY JOE! Can she make the 7:30 Chicago?.... I'm sorry Ms. Mitchell, you aren't going to make this flight, you'll have to wait for the next one tomorrow evening."
I didn't know whether to scream or cry, so I prayed my heart out within the next 3 seconds before continuing with my debate. "God, give me wisdom and favor!" God is good. A fellow employee to my ticketing woman came over and opted to let me just TRY to get to the gate and suggested we'd find another find only if I missed this one. I could've kissed her. She printed out my ticket and went with me through security, helping me take my shoes off and putting my laptop in a container to go through the scanner. Everyone was quite nice actually. I grabbed all my stuff and ran, in my socks all the way to the end of the terminal to gate K5. I felt I would collapse at any moment but I could just picture my plane pulling away from the gate so I kept going amidst my own gasps and the confused gazes of onlookers. As I approached the gate, one of the stewardesses called my name. "YES!!! I'm coming!!" She ushered me into the boarding passageway and I found myself shimmying sideways through long, dim aisles, past rows of seats with people already wrapped up in blankets and snoozing. My whole body was shaking from the weight of my bags when I finally found my seat in the back. I prayed for one last bit of strength to put my oversized coat and my laptop in the overhead bin and collapsed in my window seat after doing just that. The seat next to me remained empty until take off and I just sat there, catching my breath thanking the Lord over and over and over that I was there and that I had a whole row to myself for the overnight journey. That night I came within an inch of throwing up all over myself and I swallowed what few meager bites I could stomach of my dinner before curling up and sleeping the night away in sporadic cat naps.
We landed in Dublin and I was oh so tired but truly glad for the 4 hour layover. My baggage never came through on the line so after talking with the amazingly cute Irish man in the luggage area, I discovered that my bags had been checked all the way through to Birmingham after all. Great! I must've stayed in the bathroom for 20 minutes, freshening up, washing the plane smell off of me and trying to feel like I wasn't still putting over the Atlantic. Then I went outside and got some fresh air. (I can officially say I've been out and about in Dublin now, hehe.) I went through security and sat at my gate, watching the sun rise higher until it was time to go. I felt sick the entire time at the airport and prayed I'd just make it to Birmingham (gosh!). I did, and they let me thorugh customs without even barely looking at my passport. They neglected to give me a visa so Rich and I have to take care of that next week, but at that moment I just nodded and walked ahead. I didn't really give a care anymore, haha! I waited at the luggage carousel until everyone else had left and, just as I had expected, had to go to the help desk and report my luggage missing. They gave me a reference number and promised my luggage would come soon. I walked out throught the doors to meet Rich. "Se la vi." I was just so happy to be back on the ground and back in my Birmingham again I almost didn't care. I had my toothbrush, little pillow and laptop with me and my little house on Runnymede Road waiting for me. I walked out and saw Rich standing there in his usual blue jacket and silly grin- and everything was ok. He drove me home and as we got back intot he city, I saw some of the old familar places. It felt so much nicer coming this time. Last time was filled with wonder and dreamy curiosity. This time was like a homecoming in sme strange and happy way. It was nice and cold too- but not miserable.
When we pulled up to the house, I jumped out and noticed there was no car in the driveway. "Oh please God let there be someone there!" I tried the first door- open, the second door- open... and walked in. "Hello?!" Thankfully Nick was home early from school and I smotehred him in a huge hug. It was quite comic a few seconds later when he offered to help with my (heavy) stuff and Rich handed him my jacket and said there was nothing else, haha. Minutes later Charles and Sigrid came home from their church lunch club and amidst low key welcomes and mutterings of "my other daughter!" I gave them hugs as well. Rich left and Charles and Nick went to go pick up Toby. I went upstairs and unpacked what I could then came down to find Oskar had just gotten home from school. We were talking and laughing when I heard the door downstairs swing open and some voices. Then "M-m-megan! Megan! Meg! Meg? Meg?" I ran to the stairs and saw Toby just about the same time he saw me. He got immediately quiet and just started shaking. Nick pick him up and walked up the stairs where I met them halfway. Toby smiled and jumped on me. We talked adn hugged for a whole 10 minutes before he mentioned "the BIRDDDDD game!" Ruth came home later that night and its been nice sitting next to her and laughing again at the dinner table.
I've pretty much unpacked now and I'm almost all settled in. Sigrid says it feels like I never left, haha. I went to youth club last night and saw Arthy and the kids. They were all as happy to see me as I was to see them. We got to leave earlys ince hardly anyone showed up- it worked out because I got more time with each of the kids and lads that came before my jet lag kicked in. I'm glad to be back. I miss you guys already and I'm thinking of you always. Hope this wasn't too long, I thought you'd enjoy hearing the fine details of everything.I love you sooooooooo much!
Megan :)