So I left off with my departure for Christmas and New Year's in Nebraska.
Hammy had a plane ticket long before Booie and I got ours, so he was on a different flight, but luckily, our flight times were only about 30 minutes apart, both going out there and coming home. He was going through Ohare for the first time, so of course I was a nervous wreck. He's able to fly without an escort now that he's a mature (oxymoron, I know) fifteen year old. He was quite happy about that, as was his dad who didn't have to pay the extra $100 for him to be herded into a room with a bunch of other kids while he waited for his connection. Hammy was able to get something to eat, which made him very happy, being, as I said, a fifteen year old. Being the overprotective mother, I had to take him to the desk by his gate and talk to the attendant there, so Hammy could get yet another explanation of how to find his flight when he got to Ohare. He only had two measly hours in which to make his connection, you know. Hammy refrained from too much eye-rolling as the nice man indulged a worried mother. As expected, Ham did just fine finding his next flight, even though he had to change terminals and everything. He's always been a capable boy, but it's the times I don't fret that he always gets into trouble.
Booie and I flew through Milwaukee on Midwest Airlines, which is the airline I always choose if their fares are reasonable. Not only do they have really nice seats (all first class size), but they serve warm chocolate chip cookies on their flights, and I've mentioned far too often how I feel about warm chocolate chip cookies. Even when I'm not eating much, I can still down a cookie... or two, or three (we got them on each flight).
We arrived in Omaha, and I rushed Booie off the plane. The girl is so pokey that she makes me pull my hair out, and after a long day of sitting in airports and on planes, I had little patience. My parents and sister were right outside the security checkpoint waiting for us, Mom with camera in hand, snapping a picture before I even spotted them. It was the flash that made me notice them, and Mom was nearly crying, which made me nearly cry too. After hugs all around, we gathered our massive amounts of luggage (travel at Christmas-time is a real bear) and went to my parents' Nebraska house. As usual, my left ear bothered me quite a bit and was painful and muffled for the rest of the day.
As we pulled onto the street, Hammy called earlier than expected. I regretted not being pokier, so we could have seen him one more time that day. Even though I see him all the time, being apart for more than a day always makes me sad.
When we arrived at the house, Booie realized she left her Build-a-Bear Flamingo, Flora, on the plane. I called the airport and finally managed to talk to a live person after pressing more buttons than I've had to do typing in this entry. He chuckled when I told him I was looking for a flamingo. After being on hold for as long as it took me to talk to the man in the first place, he came back to say no flamingo was found and that I should call the airline. The only number for Midwest in the phone book was an 800 number, but I called it anyway and had to leave a message with their Lost & Found department. Then I called the airport again and pushed a million more buttons to ask if they had a local number for the airline, which they did. Fortunately, a live person answered that line, but they too didn't have a flamingo. Booie cried, and I apologized a million times for rushing her and hoped they might yet find Flora and call.
Since it was Christmas-time, I wasn't able to just sit, relax, and chat with my family. I had a little bit of shopping left to do--always loads of fun two days before Christmas. If for no other reason, Christmas should be less commercial just so people won't be so mean and nasty at the store the week before the holiday. Christmas spirit, indeed.
Later in the evening, Booie and I went to visit Kay and her family and friends and had a very nice time. I was well on my way of adjusting to the hour time difference after staying up much too late talking with my family after we got back. It wouldn't have mattered much though, as I always have trouble sleeping when traveling and had been having trouble sleeping anyway. Thank you, sleeping pills.
I don't intend to write this much about every day I was there as I wasn't all that busy the whole time. It's nice to write something that's a little lighter after having so much grief. Unfortunately, there was more grief to come during my trip.
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One Year Ago Today:
