A trip from hell....

Well my trip back home hasn't started off on a good foot, not even a bad foot, I would have to say more like an amputated stub.

It started off with my amtrak train running 4 hours late. Thankfully I had about 7 hours before my flight left msp so I had time to make that. Ashley had a rough night on the train and I got harrassed by some mean amtrak passengers for having a crying child. So I spent almost 3 hours pacing the lower level and sitting in the ladies bathroom/lounge to please the other passengers. I felt awful not to mention tired. If finally got her to sleep around 6am and was able to catch a few hours of interupted sleep there. My amtrak finally arrived in MSP at 11:30am (instead of the 7:15 am scheduled arrival).

The cab ride to the airport was fine, uneventful and welcomed.

We boarded our 1st plane headed to Dallas at 1:50 and Ashley screamed and I mean screamed for the 1st 45 minutes of our 2 hour flight....or so we thought. She finally fell asleep and was quite until the crew announced that we were within 25 mins of dallas. Then about 5 mins later they announced that there was a thunderstorm over dallas and they were not allowing us to land. So we circled dallas for the next hour until we recieved the announcement that we were running out of fuel and had to divert to Littlerock, AR to refuel. Another 45 min flight to littlerock where we landed 4th in line for the refueling truck. Over 2 hours later we were okayed for takeoff and headed back to dallas to land. We were all cleared for landing at dallas so everything was looking up, but then we had to wait for 5-10 minutes that turned into another 1 1/2 hours waiting to taxi up to our gate. It took over 8 hours for us to make a 2 hour flight to Dallas and to make it even better Ashely was not the happiest camper nor did the airline offer anything more than one beverage service and a small bag of pretzles.

I was in the very back of the plane so was one of the very last passangers deboarding the plane. As I approached a turn I felt weak and lightheaded and collapsed. I was offered water and a sugar cookie and then pushed in a wheelchair to my next gate. Needless to say the lady at the counter recieved an earfull from a very unhappy Mandy. I think I was stressed, dehydrated, starving, and did I say stressed from dealing with a toddler on a plane for 8 hours.

I then grabbed a bite to eat from a deli in the airport and boarded a plane for another 4 hour flight to seattle. Yikes, to say I was a nervous wreck was an understatement. Thankfully this flight went over much better and Ashley only cried for a minute during takeoff and then fell asleep until we were landing when she cried again. But overall this flight was a well needed rest break for me both mentally and physcially. Then.....

at baggage claim I learned that they had lost my baggage. 2 pieces of luggage and my carseat. Wonderful....I am surprised I was able to keep a smile on my face and wring the neck of the poor guy helping me to file a complaint for my lost luggage. As of this time right now I just recieved a phone call saying that my luggage should be delivered in the next four hours. Whoohoo, I can get a clean change of underwear :) Thankfully my mother is about the same size as I am so I was able to sneak into her closet to find some shorts and a tee shirt to wear for the time being.

Well thats about it for now. I will update again soon.....