Well, we made it. And, to answer the poll question... it was, of course, in between too crazy and hilarious. It started out with some last minute packing (and trying to find my makeup that I put somewhere special so I wouldn't forget it... which I never did find) and getting Izzy off to "space camp". I also poured enough food for the cats for a few days (they thought they were in heaven, but I'm sure it didn't take long for them to realize that was supposed to last for a bit) as a friend is coming over to pour some more a couple of times. Then we were off into the Alaskan midnight sun.
Seriously, this is a picture of us leaving at 1130 at night. Jenssen was ready.
All was starting off well, we got to the airport and luggage and children all made the trek from the truck to the terminal safely. However, there was a rough patch when Justin asked me the question "which one is it in?" I assumed he was referring to some custom loaded ammo he had brought along for my dad. I saw him put it in my suitcase, the blue one, so naturally I answered his question with a point to "the blue one." Then after sending out suitcases down the little conveyor belt, and a quick walk over to TSA with the blue suitcase, I realized we were not on the same page. He in fact was asking me about the hand gun that he was bringing back to Nebraska, not the ammo. I was unaware of the handgun, but was suddenly very aware of the fact that we had now just sent an undeclared firearm to awaiting TSA officials. The lady at Alaskan Airlines simply told us "um... yeah. They will be overhead paging you... soon." Ugh, not even through security and already a bump in the road (I'm not counting the numerous bumps along the way that included Justin commenting on all the belongings I was bringing with us. Why is he always surprised at the amount of valuables I bring?)
So, another talk with a TSA official ensued, and we were pretty much assured that it wasn't likely to set of the alarm anyway, so just wait around for 5 minutes to make sure and we'd be good to go. That was good news I suppose. We didn't have to get questioned by the TSA as to why we tried to sneak a gun on the plane. It was however unsettling news that the known handgun didn't set of the alarm. You win some you loose some I suppose.
The next 10 hours were... well, lets just say they were. Jenssen exclaimed "FLY!" as soon as he saw the plane, and proceeded to receive smiles from everyone as they seemed to enjoy in this little boy's excitement for something they themselves were not looking forward to. Rowan did his Rowan thing, and smiled and slept. Jenssen barely lasted past take off, and after 5 and a half long hours of two sleepy and squirmy boys, and a quite comfortable looking husband over near the window, this mom was thankful to land. I was not however so thankful that we landed at LAX.
Yes, this is where we were supposed to land, this is where Orbitz told me we would make a connection. But geeze, what a headache. Orbitz did however fail to tell me that when making a connection in LAX, make sure it is on a major airline, like United, or American, or something of the likes. NOT Alaskan Airlines transferring to Frontier Airlines operated by Republic Airlines. May have saved me $134 a ticket, but wasnt' quite worth the headache when no one in LAX seemed to know what terminal Frontier planes take off from, or the fact that Republic Airlines still flew planes. Yup, no one, not the lady directing the shuttle bus, not the three brilliant blondes (and I'm a blonde, so you know these three were award winning...) at the Alaskan Airlines ticket counter, not even the cop that just about ran me over as he came around a corner on his segway. We followed directions from these various people, and eventually found ourselves on the opposite side of security that we wanted to be, waiting for a shuttle. Some lady who looked kind of official had walked past us and told us we should proceed to terminal 6. There we would need to go back to the ticket counter and get new tickets, then go back through security, and THEN we would find our destination. Thankfully both boys just dozed and looked around as we spent an hour and half finding our way to gate C26 in Terminal 6. With 30 minutes until boarding, I went for smoothies, Justin went for the bathroom. We met back up, and realized we were one bag short after security. Hey, at least we remembered both kids! So, a quick trip back to security to retrieve the left bag left us with only a few minutes until boarding.
We had been telling Jenssen all week that we were going to get on a plane, fly, and go see "papa". He was so excited about this concept, that he kept exclaiming "papa" when he saw a plane. He also exclaimed "papa" when we landed. He was quite disappointed when we landed at LAX and there was no papa. So, as we boarded the plane to go to Omaha, I said "Jenssen, we are going to go see papa!" He gave me this look like, "whatever mom. That's what you said last time." Trying to get him excited, I kept telling him we would get on the plane, fly, land, and this time when we land we'd see papa. He still looked a little skeptical.
However, after another long feeling flight, with sleepy squirmy boys, a comfy looking sleeping husband against the window, we were home, and we did indeed see papa! (The flight to Omaha was 2 seats on either side of the isle, so we had it set up that Jenssen and Justin were next to each other, then I was across the isle with Rowan. However, a very generous woman sitting behind Justin had an empty seat next to her, and offered to switch with me so that I could have an empty seat with Rowan. She looked at me getting ready to nurse a newborn while sitting closer to a perfect stranger than I sit with my own husband on the couch, and said she had been there. Either she had in fact been there, or she saw the 2 year old turning around and climbing on the seat and decided it was best his mother sit behind him not her. Either way, I was so very appreciative of her. So, to the nice woman in 42 B, thank you so very much. You made a long trip a little shorter. I hope to pass on a selfless offer to a stranger the next time the opportunity comes along.)
So, of course, waiting with open arms and smiles were my parents. I'm not sure who was more excited. Mom and dad to see their grandsons, Jenssen to see the guy that drives the back hoe, Rowan to be out of the sling and be able to stretch, or Justin and I as we took a sigh of relief that we made it and would have some help with the kiddos for a few weeks.
We made it back to the farm where we eagerly introduced Rowan to great grandmas, Aunt Cori, Grandma and Grandpa Pekas, and later that night Uncle Brent and Aunt Kim. Justin and I volunteered to drive back to Omaha on Friday to pick up Aunt Amy since we rarely get to do things just the two of us, and pretty much each day after was a blur.
Time goes so very fast when we are home. We had a party, we met at the park, we had picnics, baptized a baby, we swam, we watched movies, we had lunch dates, we shopped, and of course, we played in the back hoe. The days seems long, plenty of time to sit, talk, relax, stay 10 minutes more. But before you know it, I'm packing suitcases, picking up shoes around the house, and dreading the long drive back east. It is a trip, a process, I have done many times now. Each time it seems to be 10 times as hard to leave. But each time it also becomes one time closer to the last. When Justin has done his time in the Army, we plan to move back home. Only 12 years away ya know... Watching Jenssen run across the land, just run, with fresh air, a slight breeze, no other houses in sight, and a huge smile on his face, I know that is where we belong. It made me miss that place so very much, even long for it, to never want to leave. I did realize though that no matter where we are, no matter what my driver license says or what street my mail gets delivered to, I know where home is, and home seems to know who I am and just what I need every time I make my way back there.
Since Justin had to head back on the 1st, I flew back on the 8th with my sister Cori. That is a trip I don't want to, nor would I, make on my own with the boys. Thankfully the trip up was slightly less eventful than the trip down. We left on time, landed on time, gate was right next to the one we arrived in, and everyone got some sleep. We arrived in Anchorage at 1:48 am. It was interesting flying as we saw the sun set, then rise only 2 hours later on the way. Justin picked us up, and here we are. Home, happy, and sitting on piles of laundry! The only downside to this trip was leaving my husband alone at home for a week. I sighed a very heavy sigh at the sight and all the work I had before me. It was then that Justin told me he actually spent the whole last evening "picking up." Do I even want to know?
So, my to do list is at an all time high, however I am at an all time productiveness as Cori is up here until July. It is amazing how much you can get done when you don't have a little boy to help you.
Check back for what is sure to be some fun times. We have a garden to plant, bubbles to blow, trails to visit, trucks to drive, finger paint to get messy with, and cookies to bake. And then there is next week... ;)
Thanks to everyone who made our time at home special. We appreciate you all so much. We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends that are willing to come see us when we are home, and to understand how valuable our time home is. A special thanks to my parents for letting us live like we were at our own home, and helping out with the boys. I love you both so very much. Like I said, of course it wasn't long enough, and our list of wanted to do was far longer than our list of what we did do, but we cherish each hug, each hello, each congrats, each smile. All of you make the trek home worth it, and keep me going on long lonely days up here.
I'm not sure blogger has enough room for me to write about all of our adventures, and it would be next year before I got all the pictures uploaded on here, so visit my facebook album to get a peek at our favorite vacation spot.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.945952581453.2399339.17210321&l=92ba0c432f
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.946556715763.2399571.17210321&l=5d4938e478
There are two different albums, we had too many memories to fit into one!
Okay, Cori is only here for a month, and my to do list is long! Back to it!
Still cleaning up the "memories" of the family visits but we loved every minute and miss you all!
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