Well, Em and I were headed to NY LaGuardia this morning out of DIA to meet up with Jason. From there, we’d go on to RI to see my older sister and her family for the week while Jason worked in MA and CT. Unfortunately, we missed our 10:45 am flight…I pushed it a little close and had we not stood in a line for security for 45 minutes, we would have made it with flying colors! We checked in on time because our suitcase went on without us. The lady at the gate did not take pity on the single mom and daughter running through the airport, sweating profusely with a rolling carry-on in tow, arriving at the gate just as the doors closed…I said, “Can we get on the flight?” She said simply, “The door is closed.” Em and I sat down on a nearby bench and breathed for a while. Em stated the obvious, “Daddy’s going to be sooooo disappointed”. “Mom, what are you doing?” “Just trying to breathe, kid, just trying to breathe…”

Well, there was another flight at 3:10, but it was overbooked…and then, of course, there’s the convenient red-eye with a 5 year old at 12:30 am, “with plenty of seats if you’d like to confirm…”, arriving at 6:30 am NY time! Oh yeah! Sign me up! I’ll take a dozen! I totally want to spend 12+ hours in the airport with my peanut, who is a good traveler, but let’s not push it…So, anyway, after securing the 1 and 2 spot on the stand by list for the 3:10, Em and I had a leisurely lunch of ‘cheesy-dillas’ and watched two girls hula hoop for a half hour on the mezzanine. We also went back to customer service and shelled out the extra $50 to confirm ourselves on the 3:10 because, magically, 3 seats ‘appeared’, two side by side. We’ll be arriving in NYC at 9pm instead of 4 something, but, if you don’t go with the flow, you don’t GO!

I really want to take a cab out to the Hamptons just to give Mrs. Kool a hug…looking at maps of the east coast, it all looks so close…BUT, I’m thinking my husband will put a kibosh on that idea since I’m the weasel who missed my flight and made him wait FIVE hours for us, and that’s with major jetlag from England…(Sweetheart, I really do love you and am very sorry we missed our flight…I take full responsibility.)

Either way, it’s been a good day, minus the breathing episode. Em and I have had fun thinking of today as our great adventure. She knows liquids in larger containers than 3 oz. aren’t allowed on the planes, but just to make sure all other things ARE allowed, she runs them by me…”Mom, can I take paper and crayons on the plane? Paper doesn’t hurt anyone, unless of course you get a paper cut…do they allow popcorn…how about my gum, mom?’ She strikes up conversations with strangers and makes the most of every opportunity. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! Right?!