Day 30

So... I'm a day late. Yesterday we packed, cleaned and drove down to Indy to stay with my brother and his wife. All in preparation for our trip to Texas this morning. Frank left Norfolk 11 days ago... It feels much longer. Maybe that's what being a single parent feels like, eternity.

I have to say traveling with Kay by myself is probably singlehandedly the hardest thing.ever. We had a huge suitcase, car seat, stroller and carry on bag. I checked the bag and car seat, then had a 28 pound kid and bag to navigate through security, to the gate, down to Starbucks, back to the gate, and finally on the plane. Whew, I was exhausted by 10 this morning.

Our layover in Tampa was equally trying, except I put the stroller all the way through to San Antonio so Kay had to walk and I had a bag to hoist around. We boarded, I'm on 1/2-caf, cup two of the day and a woman traveling with two small children, alone, sits behind me. It.was.HORRIBLE! Kay fell asleep before the plane taxied out, but both of the girls behind me, I'm guessing ages 3 and 1, shrieked and hollered non.stop. To Texas! The 3 year old sat directly behind me, kicking and pushing on my seat. Kay was snuggled on my lap pushing into my bladder, passed out and baby 2 was one cramped and cranky [enter gender here]... So 2 and 1/2 hours goes by of this child constancy banging on my seat and I notice her mother does not care and never once asks her to stop. I'm fed up at this point. I'm a cranky preggo and ready to discipline both the mother and child when the constant and rapid bang.bang.bang.bang x 25 starts. So I just turned around and said, please, stop. The mother goes crazy on me! Be tolerant she says! Lady! Tolerant was flew out the window before we got off the ground! I told her, ma'am it's been going on for 2 & 1/2 hours now, I have been patient, I just can't take it anymore. Words are exchanged. Obviously she points out she has 2. I point out I have one too, one who hasn't kicked, cried, screamed or hollered and this is our second 2 hour + flight. She says she tells her child each time to stop. Um, nope, cause I can hear you.... You haven't told her once. I receive the silent treatment from mom, followed by the itsy, bitsy, spider over and over for the next 20 minutes. I hate that song now. And each time the song ends the other girl shrieks blood curdling YAYs. I typically refuse to drink wine while pregnant, but today, I earned a glass of red.

Finally we land. Wait for stroller (that is left outside of door)...forever, rent car, pick up bags, maneuver huge suitcase topped with car seat and stroller which now holds my carry on while herding small child out the door, across 5 lanes of traffic, after a pulling away bus. Breathe. More crazy pushing, pulling and calling all the way to the car. Buckle in seat, baby, load bags, program gps, answer phone calls from mom, granny, dad and Frank.

Drive! Then finally! Frank!!!!! He looks so skinny! Drive like mad woman through rush hour traffic, check into hotel, shower, change and head out to concert. Just so you know actual time, we landed at 4:05, we left our hotel at 6 to get food and find the coliseum.

Drive downtown to coliseum, traffic is backed up for parking and we needed to eat, so I whip a U-turn mid-street and race off to some local hot-spot BBQ dive, featured of course on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Head back to coliseum. Eat while waiting in traffic. Frank can't find the tickets. U-turn 2. Drive like mad woman back to hotel. Frank runs up to room. I find tickets in car. Drive back to coliseum. Park. Find seats. 9:00 Casting Crowns takes a 20 minute intermission. They've played for about 45 minutes. We have already determined we have to leave the concert by 9:15 to get Frank back to the barracks by curfew. Yes, the Navy really owns my husband.... So we leave. In the midst of the concert, Kay has managed to pass out in Frank's arms.

Get Frank back, drive to hotel, carry a sleeping baby to room huffing and puffing entire way, lay Kay down to put on her pj's.... She wakes up! Seriously. Wide awake and ready to play. She slept through 2 bands, Frank and I singing, screaming and yelling to wake up when it's quiet and she's in bed. Of course. It's almost 12 and I finally got her into her own bed. Praise Jesus! And now it's my turn for some much needed and well deserved rest!

And finally, before I forget
Day 30
Today, er, yesterday, I was thankful that it was indeed Day 30 and finally over. I am thankful and impressed I made it through the entire month. But most of all that I took time each day to reflect on something I was thankful for. I know I skipped posting a few days when things were just insane but I consciously thought of what I was Thankful for each and everyday and I know I don't do it enough. I'm equally thankful I'm not crazy like some people and continuing this on for an entire year!

Probably won't post again until Sunday night! Have a good weekend!