The Shower Saga continues....

I may just be destined to have the good fortune that everyone wants to throw me a shower and the misfortune to always miss the beginning of them. And so our story begins... Friday evening....

First of all the idea that I should not be able to carry my own suitcase is driving me nuts. Since I don't look pregnant (or as nice people say - "I'm carrying well") people are not jumping out of the way to help me and I just feel weird and awkward asking for help. Anyways.... we get to the airport and low and behold there are thunderstorms in Chicago. Why would this effect a person going to Kentucky you ask - well because her flight has a layover in Chicago of course. So they try to put me on a flight with a layover in Charlotte (perfect I think). But guess what United does not fly to Charlotte, US Air does and they normally transfer people to them. But guess what? Bethany with the free comp ticket (from one of Brent's many travels) cannot be transferred. So we go home and hope for better luck tomorrow.

*Reminder - Shower is at 2pm EST*

So Saturday morning I get my preggers self out of bed at 5AM!!!!! Unpack my bag, get ready and repack my bag and head for the airport. I check in and they are all happy and go lucky. Just get your boarding pass at the gate (which I now take for code as being - This is their problem today, not mine. The real line will be there, we are deceptive in our short lines out front - haaaa)

So I walk to the LAST gate in an empty terminal and there is a line of about I don't know a whole plane full!! They have decided to combine the Chicago flights this morning. (yea me!) so we wait and wait and the guy at the gate finally says - "Listen, this flight has to leave in 3 minutes, if you want to go to Chicago - come here" So I get my once again pregnant self over there (2nd in line I might add) and get the oh so glorious boarding pass.

Now you would think the planes from RDU to Chicago would be nice sturdy planes. No these are planes that are so small the gate walkway can't get to them, so you have to walk on the tarmac. (This will be something I will visit quite often in a 38 hour period!) I get in the plane and discover to my utter dismay that 1) I forgot my iPod - my anticipated savior of this trip and 2) Pregnant bellies (especially mine) and airplane seatbelts/seats do not go well together. Luckily it was a good flight and I got all my thank you notes done :)

Then, things really get interesting. I land in Chicago. So at first I'm excited because 1) I get off the plane and 2) There is a Cinnabon in the airport and momma is hungry. I've got a 2 hour layover I figure I'll buy a book and a magazine (since the iPod is missing) and am happy. What I failed to realize is that people sleeping in random parts of the airport and no seats available means there are alot of people stuck in this place. Ergo, I see delays in your future.

So I go back to Gate F2 and sit near the gate agent (for some people watching) and realize how close this whole thing is about to fall apart. See F2 (which will be infamous in my mind) is planning to board 5 planes in 30 minutes. Now I'm not sure about you, but that seems pretty impossible to me, but I soon come to find out that this is the tarmac gate. We all get to wander aimlessly onto the tarmac at this gate.

Now, I'm starting to get a bit worried. So I'm calling my aunt with updates each time we get delayed. Everytime, a different person is slated to pick me up (it is a bit like musical chairs). So I see flight after flight (there sure are alot of people going to Appleton Wisconsin) board as mine gets later and later. I start to get worried, but technically they can't have the shower without me. Then the gate keeper is like sh*t. He has just boarded Appleton people to go on the Louisville plane. Now, things are just plain funny at this point, bordering on hysterical. So we get on the plane, I call everyone so that my route can be tracked, and we wait on the tarmac. Yes, patience is thin, and yet we wait.

Finally, we get to Louisville (I am currently an hour late). My baggage (Thank God) is like the first one off. I go outside, my Chrissie Taxi is waiting for me and I am whisked away...

The return flight was even better....I still haven't gotten my luggage yet. I'll blog that next.

CRAZINESS!!!!!