Back to the Land of Buckeye

Hope and I had a great time in Ohio last week. I think my Mom would've gone into cardiac arrest if she hadn't been able to see her granddaughter, so Aaron let us use his flyer miles to head south. The flight down had a quick stop in Detroit, so the short afternoon flights agreed with the Princess. The flight home, not so much.

Going back to Minneapolis in the evening was probably the first problem. Baby girl started out fine, but 20 minutes into the flight she was tired/hungry/DONE and not even the beloved pacifier would help.

I was sitting beside the window and felt like I was trapped in a cage. Well, trapped with a wiggling puppy in your arms is more like it...

The woman next to me wasn't rude, but not exactly excited to be sitting next to a baby. When Hope became inconsolable, I announced, "We're taking a walk!"

I got up and just started walking up and down the short aisle. I thought of heading to the bathroom in the back, but the beverage cart sat in my way. (I'm also knocking Hope's feet into passengers' heads as I walk, of course)

Finally I notice at the front of the plane, an empty seat in the first row (just a puddle jumper, no first class) I ask the girl by the window, do you mind if I sit here for awhile?

She agreed, and we started talking a little. You can sense a person's heart pretty quickly, don't you think? I knew she was cool when I found out she was from Idaho and I said, "I'm sorry, but Idaho immediately makes me think of Napoleon Dynamite." She laughed and then said seriously, "That's pretty much the way it is."

So, there you go. We survived, thanks to a nice Idaho chick, and God's grace. We were the first passengers off the plane, and I lived to tell about it. I guess after having 4 children, I was long overdue for a good crying baby on a plane.

More pictures to come of our trip...