The Longest Day

And also...a long post. Got a beverage? Good. You'll need it.

Thursday, June 28th, 10am: Pink and Blue head to bed. 6 bags plus a car seat for Grandma and Grandpa Pink's vehicle when we arrive.

Friday, June 29th, 4:30am: Pink and Blue wake up and get ready for our airplane ride at 8:30am. We get cleaned up, Blue packs the van, and we're ready to go.

6:30am: Based on a plan Pink and Blue agreed on, we'd leave at 6:30am, arrive at the economy parking at 7:00am, check in by 7:30am, and have an hour to get through security.

7:10am: We arrive at economy parking. Lot A (we flew Midwest) arrive at a pickup location and headed to the terminal. Due to multiple pickups (hey, we were rookies with economy parking)

7:40am: We arrive at the checkin. Pink did her homework and got boarding passes created for the first leg to Milwaukee, but we didn't have them for our final leg from Milwaukee to San Fransisco. This creates a problem with the computer system and only generates our boarding passes for Mil to Frisco, so we sit there for 20 minutes getting everything ironed out. We were freaking out we'd be late for boarding at 8:05, but it turns out the planed was delayed. Once we told them we could relax because we thought we'd be late, a chuckling gentleman mentioned, "This is a first! The plane is late and someone is happy about it!"

8:05am: We get to security and Pink and Blue pass with flying colors. I forgot to take off my belt, so I get a pat down. I thanked the security official for checking me over, and waited for my CPAP to pass through inspection. It's got two metal plates to heat the water in the humidifier, so I knew it would get a look through.

8:10am: Once we're in, we see the plane at the gate, but no one seems anxious to board. Apparently, due to the rain that happened the night before, the crew got in late. FAA requires a mandatory 8 hour rest period between shifts, so we won't take off till 9:30am so the crew has enough time to rest. I don't know which was more frustrating, the delay, or the fact it was basically delayed so the crew could sleep. As it was, it didn't matter, because a done bun can't be undone.

During the delay, I sat with LB in the awesome windows at the gate and talked to him about what everyone was doing on the tarmac. That part was pretty cool.

9:30am: We're in the air, and despite the delay and painful ears never popping, we arrive in Milwaukee at

11:00am: Again, we were freaking out we'd be late to the connection, but made it in time for boarding at

11:15am: Only...there's no plane. "Ladies and gentleman, I've been assured that the plane is in the hanger and here at the airport (Milwaukee is Midwest's hub). The ground crew is getting the plane ready. We will issue and update at 11:45am."

Pink and I gab a minute, then I walk up for a clarification. The plane will not take off at 11:45am, they will apprise the would be passengers at 11:45am.

11:15-11:45am: Pink and I talk, and we entertain Little Blue. Thankfully there was a set of Asian grandparents that were taking their 5 year old son to Frisco, so Little Blue had someone to play with for a bit.

11:45am: Still no plane. "Ladies and gentlemen, the crew is still working on the plane. We will update you at 12:30pm. I tell Pink she'll need to eat for her bloodsugar's sake, so I head down to buy a couple crappy overpriced Wolfgang Puck sandwiches.

12:30pm: "Ladies and gentleman, the plane is still not ready. We understand this is an inconvenience for you so, we've brought out some food. Please be here at 1pm for an update." *insert collective sigh here*

1:00: Blah blah blah update at 1:30pm. Blue and Little Blue go for a little walk and...

1-1:25pm: We run into Pink's coworkers with her husband. They're waiting for a flight at 1:30pm to go elsewhere. We talk, overhear a crowd crew member updating the gate ladies. He cringes and clearly says, "You don't want to know." What he didn't say but his face said was "and if I tell you, I could get fired."

1:30pm: Co-worker and hubby didn't make their flight, so they waited for a 7pm flight. They got a rental car and left the airport. Our update was another one for 2pm, plus some snackables and beverages provided by the airline. The were also prepping meal tickets for lunch.

2:00pm: Another update at 2:30, plus the issuance of meal tickets. 10 bucks at anything but starbucks for each passenger. I get our three and we sit for the update.

2:30pm: A plane is being flown in from Las Vegas to Milwaukee to take us to Frisco. It won't arrive till 6pm. Thanks for your everliving patience.

2:30-6:00pm: We take in an eatery, and it took a while, but the waitress actually said to Little Blue, "Your so cute! Would you like a free scoop of ice cream, eh?" I chuckled at the "eh." We also called Pink's parents to tell them we'd be way late.

We found a large video screen stuck on some family entertainment channel, so we sat there, tried to get Little Blue to take a nap (never did) and patiently awaited for 6:00 to arrive.

5:45pm: We start to head back to our gate. About 70 feet away we hear everyone at the gate cheer. Sure enough, our plane arrived. Overhear the same ground crew person, "The other plane wouldn't hold the fuel...it leaked all over the floor of the hanger."

I knew it back when they mentioned the updates, any time you're delayed and they don't tell you why...you usually don't want to know. I was doubly glad we waited around for the plane.

In addition, we get 3 vouchers for free round trip flights.

6:30pm: We're in the air, Little Blue sitting in the middle of both of us. It was a long 4 hour flight. Again, my ears were nearly causing my eyes to water until I yawned. Pink's ears didn't hurt till our decent. The meal was decent and the cookies were excellent. Little Blue didn't fall asleep until 10 minutes before we actually landed. Never wake up a I-just-fell-asleep child, he was so tired he cried until I could get him on my shoulder. We didn't arrive in Frisco until

10:00pm KS time, 8pm CA time: We arrive, and after I hug the inlaws, I chuckle with FIL, "So, you been waiting long?" We all offer up a weary chuckle, pick up the luggage, and load up the truck.

While we load up the truck, I set down Pink's carry on backpack as I put in LB's carseat. As I go to the other side of of the truck to finish up, Pink trips over the backpack.

11:00pm KS, 9pm CA: We're on the road, chatting, talking about the flight, and LB is entertaining us with his tired singing songs to help him go to sleep. We stop after 1 hour of driving to...

12:00am KS, 10:00pm CA: Petaluma. We stop to empty bladders and grab some coffee. Pink, "I never ate an after dinner snack and I didn't take my medication."

The bag, the fucking bag.

We both left it leaning against the tire of the truck in the airport parking lot. I whip out my cell for Pink to use (and get forwarded to outdated airport security phones). Turns out Frisco PD watches over the airport, and they don't have the manpower to send them over to the garage to look for the bag.

Pink and I really don't get visibly upset so much, nor do we blame each other. We decided to head back and look around the garage because it has her cell, her purse, her ipod, and all her medications for the babies.

1:30am KS, 11:30pm CA: We arrive back at the airport, no bag to be found. In-Laws and Pink wander around the airport for 45 minutes trying to find the right people to fill out a report. LB is asleep and hang out in the truck.

2:30am KS, 12:30am CA: We head back towards the In-Laws place, most of us somber and quiet. LB wakes up occasionally, mighty cranky that he can't sleep very well, and we all do our best to console him. Pink nudges me awake several times because I keep nodding off in the car, and that's a no no for a CPAP man. Eventually they do let me sleep for a little bit. I think we all take turns nodding off, save for FIL, who's the man when it comes to road trips.

6:30am KS, 4:30 CA time: We arrive in Willits. Pink and I have been up for 26.5 hours, give or take mini naps in the car. Little Blue, probably right at 24 hours.

We didn't wake up till 11am CA time, 1pm KS time that morning.

And the bag? More on that later.