June 15, 2008
LAST MINUTE JITTERS
I woke up this morning with a classic case
of panic. My stomach was in knots and I felt
like I could throw up. My heart was racing and
for a bit I wondered if I was going to have a
heart attack. Based on the way I felt I really
thought I was going to be too sick to do
anything, but I had no choice. I took some
medicine and just tried to put one foot in
front of the other. There was still so much to
do.
For some reason everything that had been done
just didn’t seem done enough. I wanted the
house cleaner, more orderly; less clutter…was
this just nerves or what? I didn’t think I
could make it to church, but decided it might
calm me down. I literally got ready in like 15
minutes. I was right it did calm me down and
afterwards I had lunch with Robert, Jill and
Lily she was so sweet. We talked about China
and Ellie Lu and then we said our goodbyes.
Back at home there was still much to do. Mel
was at work and I envisioned him coming home
about midnight and neither of us sleeping and
driving straight to the airport. That was not
my plan A, but knowing our history I know Mel
works up until the very last minute it seemed
likely. As the day went by I was able to get
more and more done and I also began to feel
better and my anxiousness eased.
The cats were so cute following me around
hoping I might sit down for a moment and that
they could sleep on my lap. Marmalade would
bring me toys so that I could throw them and
he could fetch. Little by little everything
came together and midnight was drawing near.
Finally around 2:30 am Mel came home and we
both began to get ready to leave. At the last
minute I had a fashion emergency the denim
capris I had planned to wear just did not do
it…so classic it is khaki pants, white polo
and my comfy Merrill slip-ons. We loaded the
car, made a snack for the road and then we
were off. We were both tired as neither of us
had slept since 5 am the previous morning, but
I felt I was a bit more fresh so I drove. We
laughed and joked and anticipated the
beginning of a new chapter to our lives, which
will begin as soon as our plane takes off.
June 16, 2008
FALSE LABOR
Well here we are...no not in an airplane
but "holed" up in the hotel sleeping/blogging.
Much more later, but long story short our
flight out of Knoxville was cancelled but know
one called to tell us and know one re booked
us...so at 5 am this morning there weren't
many options.
Good news we leave tomorrow on the same
flight...bad news is we will be "slummin' it
in coach...for the record when this happens no
refund you just have to be glad they even help
you. So tomorrow "o'dark thirty" we try this
again. My emotional breakdown at the ticket
counter didn't even make them pull "a white
rabbit" out of their hat. Thank the Lord my
niece Fran and my sister Cheri were there to
offer us support. After being up ALL night and
driving 2 hours and then no flight, I had
visions of crawling across the ticket counter
and let's just say for a minute they weren't
good...thank goodness for Hollie at least she
found us a flight. More later on our
"colorful" journey...the long and winding road
continues...
Update June 16 10:00 pm
Well it looks like first class came available
and at this point all systems are go. Now we
just wait and see if we truly leave for China
in the morning. More details about today. Mel
arrived home from work at 2:30 am although I
had hoped he would not have to so hard right
up until our time of leaving it didn’t matter
because I was “nesting” like no body’s
business. I packed and repacked, organized and
cleaned, but let me tell you it occurred to me
it is time to simplify my word we could be
berried in paper and stuff. Note to
self…simplify.
When Mel arrived home we both showered and put
on our “flight to China clothes”, well
apparently my “flight to China clothes” did
not pass QC, Mel started laughing and
commented he was sure if China was ready for
me. You check out the picture and let me know.
Instead of denim Capri’s, white socks, Merrell
slip ons and a white t-shirt…I went total
uniform. White polo, khakis and white sweater.
Mel was in black and grey…his terms “subdued”.
We loaded the car with our 2 tons of luggage,
said goodbye to the “fur babies” who know
something is up just not what and we departed.
I drove since both of us had been up all
night, but still I felt fresher than Mel. I
had made us a snack so we drove and ate. We
laughed and made jokes and were just relieved
to be headed to Knoxville, at this point it
was 3:40 am. We hit construction in Athens and
I almost panicked as we didn’t have much time
to spare. We made it to the airport at right
after 4:30 am and little did we know what was
to come.
Mel dropped me off at the curb and he parked
the car. The “little guy” helped me get the
luggage inside and I got in line. I should
have known when I scanned my passport in the
kiosk and it offered “do you want to see other
options” that was not a good sign. Then I
noticed that it didn’t’ show our Beijing
flights. I asked who I thought was an agent
and he checked and said “oh your flight was
cancelled didn’t they call you?” “We have you
booked on the Delta flight go down there.” So
we went to Delta to experience “Mad Mary”, she
was like “so what do you have”, um I don’t
have anything I don’t know why they are
sending us to LaGuardia when we have tickets
to Beijing thru Newark. She was like “honey
you aren’t going anywhere unless I have some
paperwork”. She called the Continental desk
and apparently got the runaround too and then
sent us back to Continental. At this point it
is like 5:45 am. |
Driving to the airport at o-dark-thirty
Unloading the car
Putting our luggage back in the car
Where we caught some shuteye
Waiting for Ellie Lu
Mel doing some last minute paperwork |
I get back in line at the Continental desk and
I am first but that didn’t’ matter literally
everyone ignored that I was there. Finally I
asked “Juan” if he worked there and could he
help me. He reluctantly took my paperwork and
then sat it down and left the counter…he went
to load a plane but didn’t ask anyone else to
help. So then I asked “Mr. roll you eyes” if
he worked there and could he help. He began
looking and actually smirked as if to say “you
are screwed”. Well his first option was flying
to Houston, then Tokyo and then Beijing, but
by the way you would be on your own in Tokyo
as it is not a Continental flight and it was
like 40 hours…NOT AN OPTION. So then he looks
around and suggests this…Knoxville to Philly
and then take a TRAIN from Philly to Newark.
Now I have traveled but that did not sound
like a good formula at all…again on our own if
we missed the flight to Beijing in Newark. He
looked up a few more options and then
said…”while you guys think about this I will
help someone else”. He never came back!
As we were standing there a gal came up to the
counter with her “cup-a-joe” almost looking
like she came straight from her night out…get
the picture? Her actual name was Hollie and
turned out to seem to care…a little. But hey
at this point anyone a body would be good,
because KNOWONE CARED…NADA…NIL! So she was all
chipper and began working at one point she had
us routed thru Canada which would not have
worked since our Visas are not for that
country. LONG STORY SHORT…only option try it
again tomorrow without first class seats from
Newark to Beijing or arrive on Friday if we
used any other option. So coach it is and put
us on tomorrow. We inquired about how often
this particular flight to Newark was cancelled
…”oh maybe 5 times in a year”. Little did we
know! So she put us on stand by for first…got
us situated and we loaded our luggage back in
the car and since it was 7:30 am we checked
into the Hilton thankfully they had a room. We
were taken care of by Chester and he even made
our reservation for our return…very
accommodating. We had a nice breakfast and
went to sleep.
I woke up at noon and emailed our travel agent
who later informed us that no refund if we
can’t fly first something about tickets and
codes and discounts…yet if they actually put
us in first we may have to pay an up charge…go
figure. I just asked that she do everything
she can to minimize our discomfort and to help
us avoid additional cost and delay.
We slept until 4 pm and felt so much better.
We gathered ourselves and went out for dinner
and then to Starbucks to get a “coffee/tea”
fix. Then Target to get last minute things and
let’s just say extra undergarments! So there
you have it a full day and we still are in
Knoxville and at this point wondering if we
will ever make it to China.
Checked email and at 10 pm found out we are
confirmed in first…things could be looking up.
We appreciate all your sweet messages and
prayers…at this point we would load ourselves
in a cargo plane to get there, but let’s hope
we don’t have to. See you tomorrow and we hope
we can report “lift off”.
Love,
Em and Mel |
