Derek and the rest of the world,
Pros and Cons:
So, I've decided that this was the worst travel experience of my life! The kids were troopers through it all, and I am so proud of them even though they drove me NUTS!
Recap:
Got to airport at 2ish. Flight was suppose to leave at 4:10, was delayed to boarding until 5:15. Flight left at about 5:30. I had an hour lay over in Denver. Flight was already 1 hr and 5 min late... I checked all my luggage so I didn't have to worry about any of it. All I have is a backpack and the stroller, oh and my 2 kids.
So we waited and waited and waited. Kael kept throwing these huge tantrums and I'd pull out a new toy or a new treat, but the kid was just having a hard time. Kael and Eden ran all over the airport. It was so hard not knowing how long until we could board and what to do with the kids. I had 4 different people help with the kids. One amazing woman picked Kael up as he was having a huge tantrum and said, "Can I hold you?" Kael sat on her lap for a good 15 minutes and just laid his head on her. Then she played with him and put up with his business as she was on the phone. Another Mom who had about a 4 month old baby let Kael and Eden play with her baby toys and a blanket. "I had toys and blankets mind you"... She was so sweet and watched my stroller and stuff while I chased the kids. Another Dad offered to let Kael watch movies on his iphone. The two of them had everyone grinning by the time we were to board. No one complained once about them having a tantrum or me going crazy because of them.
I gate check my stroller to meet me in Denver, and when the lady asked me about it she said, "what is your final destination?", to which I replied, "Salt Lake City, but I'll need it at my lay over." So, she checked the stroller and off we went. The flight attendant told us that the SLC flight was delayed so we should have time to get there. For once in my life I was one of the first people off the plane. We went to get the stroller and it wasn't there. None of the strollers that were checked were there. Come on people this is probably the first thing to bring out. These people are gonna need all the help they can get. So I have a crazy Kael wanting to run away and a crying Eden in my arms and wait until everyone is off the plane for them to go check a 3rd time and tell me that my stroller isn't there and it probably got shipped to my final destination. I'm sitting there about to cry, and decide I need to go now or I won't make my flight. I get out of the terminal and not 2 second later I hear my name over the intercom saying they are looking for me for my flight. They told us our flight should be close because we were in the A terminal where we got off. Hello! They should know better. For the majority of the people out there, the Denver airport is HUGE! I grabbed Kael and Eden and our backpacks and start running to which I of course drop Kael and this nice family sees me and the Dad says, "wait where are you going?" I said, "I heard my name on the intercom and I'm going to miss my flight." He gives his kids to his wife, mind you they had 3, and he grabs Kael and we RUN across the ENTIRE Denver airport. Not kidding it seemed like a mile. We had to go down an elevator and keep running. We get there as the doors are shutting and I told them who I was and asked if I made it. She told me no of course. This awesome Dad stepped up and told them you have to get her on this flight! I started to ball my eyes out not knowing what I was going to do with my 2 kids, no stroller, and stuck in Denver. The lady told me they had another flight at 9:30 and she might be able to get me on that. The guy was still telling them to get me on the plane and holding Kael the whole time.
I relieved the Dad so he could get back to his family. I couldn't even call people to let them know yet because I knew I would just lose it completely. I had tears just rolling down and trying to hold both of my kids without a stroller was impossible. As I was holding Kael he saw my tears and kept saying " hurt mom? hurt?", then he would proceed to kiss my chin and say, "all better". He did this about 5 times.
I got my new tickets and headed to my new gate. It was so hard because Kael was so energetic, yet so whiney because he was tired. The poor kids were going crazy and were hungry because of dinner time. Oh and did I mention both kids pooped on the plane from Ohio to Denver? No? Oh they did, and Kael did it twice, so Kael was in a smelly diaper this entire time.
After more melt downs, changing poop, an attendant trying to find my stroller and failing, McDonalds, which the kids didn't eat, and a lot of running up and down the walk ways that move, we kind of got situated for the 2 and a half hour lay over. A nice family from Costa Rica took on Kael this time and showed him dinosaurs on their computer. My arms were killing me by this point from picking up the kids a thousand times. I then had to change Eden's poop (YES, my kids poop A LOT) a nice lady who worked at the airport offered to watch Kael so I could change Eden and have a spare second for myself as well. I came out after about 8 minutes and the poor lady was running chasing Kael. It was too funny!
I had about 2 or 3 other people help me get on the flight once it was boarded and EVERYONE let me cut in line to go first after Kael ran into the terminal before I could catch him. Once boarded the kids screamed and screamed. Mind you at this point it was like 11:30 eastern time which they were used to. A nice man loading onto the plane saw my children screaming. He handed Kael an orange and for some reason that did the trick. Kael calmed right down, and loved holding that orange. Eden saw that Kael was calm and finally fell asleep. No one said anything mean or gave me bad nasty looks the entire trip. Most of the people offered to help and said that everyone has been in this position before. No one looked at me like I couldn't control my kids, or like I was a bad Mom because they were running around an airport.
My friend from the village, Lindsay came and drove me home. Helped me with my bags, helped me with my children, and she is like 36 weeks pregnant, and by the time I got to Utah it was like 10:30.
Everyone was KIND. People were genuine. People loved me. People LOVED my children. They cared for them. They cared for me.
As terrible as this traveling time was, I don't think I would ever go back and change it. For one thing, my arm muscles are going to be freaking amazing strong! Second, I have never seen so many strangers become friends instantly. I have never seen strangers love so kindly, offer so much service, and put on a happy face when it is hard. I am grateful to know that there is so much good in this scary world. People still love. People still care. For that. I am grateful for this experience.
To all the MANY MANY MANY people who have helped me while Derek is away, THANK YOU! I love you all so much, stranger or not, and I am GRATEFUL!
Thank you to my heros,
Sharice
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