a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

{I realize this is long and that most people won't take the time to read it, but I am writing this for therapeutic reasons so that I can once and for all be done with this day}

A TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY
a true story

This title most appropriately describes my trip from Phoenix to Newcastle. It honestly was the worst day of my life and I am just grateful that time is healing the wounds of my trip (okay, a little overdramatic). Waking up on December 10th, I had no idea the trials I would be put through over the next 24 hours. I should have known it was going to be a rough trip because the second we stepped foot in the airport, the craziness started. We unloaded our 200 pounds of luggage, two strollers, two carsets, two kids, a backpack and a large diaper bag. Our plane was so delayed that we were going to miss our connecting flight out of Houston so they put us on another airline. This meant we had to reload everything back into the car and hightail it to another terminal. Once we arrived the airport workers felt so much pity for me, they granted my mom an escort pass so she could help us to the gate. I am so grateful because security is a joke and we barely made it to the gate as everyone was loading. Once in Houston, I had to switch terminals again in an airport I had never been to. I had Harper in my Bjorn, a backpack on my back, a diaper bag on my side and Luke in an umbrella stroller with his carseat jimmy-rigged to the back of it. Most people we passed just pointed and starred. Then I waited at that gate with two screaming children as yet another plane was delayed. Once on, the plane was delayed an additional hour. The actual flight over wasn't too bad. Harper slept for most of it and Luke watched Toy Story 3 and poked me in the face repeatedly to make sure I didn't fall asleep. We landed in London and I just kept telling myself it was almost over. Little did I know, my troubles were only beginning. We got detained in immigration! I knew because of our delayed plane, we were cutting it close to missing our flight to Newcastle so I stressfully dealt with two overtired children as they detained us. Once we finally got cleared to leave I went to baggage claim. This is still considered customs, so Rob was not able to come help me. I knew I could not move all of our baggage by myself (remember four large bags each weighing 50 pounds, my Phil & Ted's double stroller, an umbrella stroller, two car seats and two kids). All of the porters had been taken so there was no one to help me. I tried unsuccessfully in every way possible to try to load my bags onto a trolly, but with a baby strapped to my front, I could barely lift one of my bags. Soon all the other passengers had collected their bags and I was standing there alone in my pile of belongings. A group of airport workers passed by and one of them stopped and asked if he could help me in any way. I burst into tears and he and his crew immediately went to action. The five of them each helped and rushed me through the customs line and took me all the way to where Rob was waiting to meet us. These men were truly heaven sent. It was humbling to need the help of total strangers and I am so grateful that these airport workers acted as Christ would have. Our reunion with Rob was an emotional whirlwind because no sooner had we embraced then we had to run to a train to get to our other terminal. Since no carts are allowed on the train, we had to be creative on how to take all of our stuff, but I was glad we were at least together to figure it out. Once we got to the British Airways terminal we ran up to find out we had missed our flight and would have to purchase new tickets ($540). As the lady behind the desk notified us of this, I once again began to cry (can I just remind everyone that I had not slept in a very long time). I told her that this had been the worst day of my life. She looked at me with pity and then called every manager she could to get permission to help us in any way possible. After great effort on her part, a manager came over and keyed in a code so that we would only be charged a change fee instead of having to buy new tickets ($200). I am glad this person went to such a great effort to help us out. After another delay, flight, security screening and baggage claim, we were picked up in at the Newcastle airport by a ward member and taken to our house. I have never been more happy for a day to be over.

After all of my travel mishaps I remind myself what it was all for and I realize that I would do it all over again if that is what it took be together as a family.