Florida Vacation: 2nd Try

As you may remember, back in February we tried to fly to Florida for Tina's birthday but were denied seats due to an oversold flight. To recap that trip, our bags made it to Fort Myers but we were stuck in Chicago for the weekend.

We received vouchers from The Un-named Airline and used them to book flights for this weekend. After an hour+ delay at MSP for "mechanical issues" we arrived at O'Hare with about 25 minutes before our 2nd flight was scheduled to depart. We were hustling across the terminal when we heard the final boarding call for our flight over the PA. Skipping the restroom and food stops, I sprinted to the gate (Tina jogged). We made it in time and the gate agent let me go back and buy a sandwich for the pregnant lady. We'd made it! Sunny Florida here we come!

Excpet you know how this chapter ends, right?

Our luggage is still in Chicago.

To be continued...

Today's Hilarious Email Exchange

Mitch: Should Tina be wearing a face mask while flying to Florida today?

Dr. Martin: I'm on the fence. Normally, I would say no. With her being pregnant, it gives me pause. She should definitely carry some hand sanitizer with her and use it religiously.

Mitch: Do those masks work or is it a useless precaution?

Dr. Martin: They work, so long as you NEVER take them off around the public. i.e. think of it as a condom for your mouth and think of the flu as an STD. The mask ONLY works while it is on.

Our April Guests

Chateau Tina & Mitch has been hopping with visitors this month, and it's been great to see friends and family.  

First up:  Tuba Lady and Rachel, who were here at the beginning of the month during spring break.  It was such a great trip, because we really just relaxed and ate (and ate, and ate), but we did venture out a few times, once to go to THE Mall.  Tuba Lady was so excited to see LegoLand.

Rachel was even more excited to pose next to this Star Wars guy - and yes, she's grabbing his butt.

Here are both of them enjoying a meal at the restaurant that it seems we always go to when we're together - Buffalo Wild Wings.  

And as a housewarming/baby gift, the two of them were kind enough to give us a Diaper Genie - hell yeah!

Mitch was so proud once he got it all put together.

Later in the month, we were visited by Katie and Boston for a long weekend.  We did lots of tourist-y stuff so they could check out the Twin Cities (and so we could convince them to move up here).  Here they are at the rooftop bar at the Liffey in Saint Paul.

We were fortunate to have Twins tickets for Saturday night, and before that we had explored Minneapolis, including Brit's Pub, where Boston got his drink on.  Ah, I love Drunk Boston - he's so much fun!

And the two of them at the game.  So cute!

Good times.  May and June are open, people, so get your reservations in soon!

Baby Update: Week 24

Baby:  According to "What to Expect", the baby's size is compared to a standard letter.  Baby is putting on about 6 ounces a week, with the weight going to his organs, bones, muscle, and fat.  The baby's face is almost fully formed, and now has eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair on his head (although there is no pigment to the hair yet, so it is white).  And of course, is getting stronger and stronger.

Mom:  I can attest to the stronger part - Thor's kicks are getting very pronounced (and are starting to get a little uncomfortable), and I think Mitch should be able to feel them soon!  It's been a pretty uneventful week, but I did realize that I can't reach my toes to clip them anymore.  Guess Mitch gets to take over another job!  Here's the 24-week profile pic - I feel enormous.

Dad:  Mitch has started to tackle the yard this week since it is nice (and I can't really help at all - and believe me, I feel REALLY bad about it).  He has fertilized the lawn and tackled the dandelions, and begun the much-needed trimming of our trees.  He also found out that he will be training for his new job in Dallas, TX for most of the month of June.  He'll look so great in his cowboy hat and boots!  

Missing the Good Old Days

We have been very blessed with beautiful weather this week.  It hit 85 degrees yesterday, and is in the 70's today.  The trees are finally budding, and it feels that spring is here.  As I drove away from work today with the window down and the music blaring, I started to feel a little nostalgic about what I used to do when I was much younger on days such as this:

• In high school, I remember blowing out of the DTHS parking lot in my awesome red cavalier, going to the DQ for a snack and thinking it was the best day in the whole world.  
• In college, I would have blown off all of my classes and gone to sit on the quad to people watch, nap, and soak up the weather.  On one occasion, Mitch and I had intentions to study, but he had brought a thermos of Bacardi Limon and Sprite, and so no studying got done.  Still a great day.
• If I wasn't sitting on the quad, I would run to the grocery store and load up on beef, chips, pasta salad and beer, and come home to grill out burgers.  Man, it was great.
• When at MCHS, on Fridays Cin and I would practically push kids over so that we could get to our favorite local watering hole and drink as much Miller Lite as we could.  
• In FL, I would come home, Mitch and I would crack open a few cold ones, and we would sit out on the balcony and enjoy the weather.

Man, I miss being carefree!  (And enjoying a cold one on these beautiful days!)

I Think I Might Feel This Way in September....

I Caved

Katie and Boston were up to visit us this weekend, and I think the sole purpose for Katie's visit was to get a long-begged-for belly rub.  When they first arrived Thursday night, immediately Katie's eyes went to the belly, and she giggled uncontrollably for at least the first 12 hours.  On Saturday morning, I finally let her have what she had so patiently waited for.  

First, there was the laying of the ground rules - one hand only on the belly, no pressing her face up to it, no poking, and it could stay there for only ten seconds.

Once she understood the rules (and giggled for about another minute), she went in for the kill.

As you can see, she was just a little bit excited.

A close-up of the rub:

- and a SUPER close up.

I think that made her entire year.  

Baby Update: Week 23

We have entered the sixth month!

Baby:  According to "What to Expect", the baby is actually quite unattractive, as he is currently sporting saggy, see-through skin, allowing all the bones, organs, and blood vessels to be seen.  In the sixth month, the baby will double his weight to just over two pounds and slowly begin to put on fat to fill out his body.  After a check-up this week, Dr. Fisher says that everything with the baby is going "perfectly".  (She knows just what to say!)

Mom:  During my check-up I learned that I have gained about 20 pounds since the start of the pregnancy, and I can certainly feel the effects - it's getting increasingly harder to move around, sleep, get out of the couch, climb stairs, push the vacuum, etc.  Some days I feel great, while others I feel like staying in bed all day.  I've noticed this week that I'm really starting to retain water.  My feet and ankles have turned into chicken breast-looking things (to steal one of South Cove's references), all puffy and gross.  I've taken to putting my feet up for about an hour once I come home from work, which is nice, and I'm trying to drink as much water as I can to combat the retention.  

I also learned this week while shopping for some spring clothes that no shorts or capris look good on pregnant women who have put on 20 pounds and have swollen ankles and feet.  When I wear comfy dresses, I feel as big as a barn.   I'm not quite sure what I plan to wear all summer long, much less on our trip to Florida in a few weeks.  I'd like to think I could just wear jeans, but I'm not kidding myself.  Looks like I'll have to do a LOT more shopping to find something that I like.  

Dad:  Mitch is continuing to take good care of me - reminding me to take my vitamin, lifting things, doing the majority of the house cleaning.  It's so great. 

Go Twins!

On the way down to the seats Boston heard: "Boston sucks!" and "nice hat at a Twins game @$$hole!"

Thanks for the tickets Granpa Sal!

Quote of the Day....So Far

Said over a breakfast of oatmeal-raisin pancakes and bacon this morning:

"The people at my work just think I'm the nicest person in the whole world.  I don't know what their problem is."

I'll give you one guess as to who said that.  

The Reason I Teach

With the invention of Facebook, I have been able to keep in touch with several students that I have taught at MCHS.  One of my favorites that I keep in contact with is a girl named Jo.  A flute player and drum major, she was one of those kids that I could trust, that I counted on, that I had complete confidence in.  She is an amazing musician, an inspirational leader for her peers, and one of the most genuine, caring students I have ever worked with.  She would hang out in my office every day, asking what she could do to help me out, as she understood the incredible workload on my shoulders.  She brought me ice cream when I was having bad days.  She made paper chains to cover my office to count down to the end of her Senior year.  Jo is one of those special kids that has impacted my life, and I would be so lucky to ever have a kid like her.  

She recently posted a paper that she wrote for one of her college courses, and with her permission I am posting it here:

An America without Music
When you hear the word music what do you think of? Do you think of the songs you hear on the radio or your favorite band? Well, when I hear the word music I think of sitting in front of an audience in my high school gym playing a piece of music filled with eighth notes and sixteenth notes. It’s a song dedicated to the Columbine school shootings that brings tears to everyone’s eyes. It’s looking up to see your conductor with tears in her eyes because her band is playing a very moving piece. Music is a very powerful thing. It is a way to express yourself and connect with people. Where would America be without music? This is a problem that I don’t want to face, but with the economy the way it is, there is a risk of it.

Music is something that has always been a part of my life. Before I was involved in band, I would attend my older siblings’ band concerts and dream about the day I could be down there playing a flute in the band. In fourth grade I finally got my wish. I joined band and started learning how to play the flute. Looking back, I think of when I first started nearly ten years ago, and when the only song I could play was Hot Cross Buns. Now I can play a variety of songs, including my favorite and the most difficult, Abram’s Pursuit by David Holsinger. I listen to music differently than others. Instead of listening to the lyrics or the voice of the singer I listen to the background music. Sometimes I find myself humming the beat I hear coming from the rhythm section. Yet other times I think about what time signature is being played and conduct to it. I would say that I have a better respect for music, something band has taught me. 

Mrs. Tina, my high school band director had a positive effect on my life. She was always someone that I looked up to. She helped me with the music, learning scales, and all of the other things band directors do. Mrs. Tina had confidence in me as a flutist and a leader. She was a very dedicated to her job and would often stay after school to help students. Towards the end of my freshman year we were informed that the school was cutting some of the art and band teachers because they didn’t have money, and Mrs. Tina was one of them. I remember her last day, the empty wall in her office that used to be filled with pictures and crying because she was much more than a teacher to me. 

Lucky, she found another job in Florida teaching band. But you could see the toll it took on her and how stressful it had been. My junior year, while at drum major camp, I received the word that our band director resigned and Mrs. Tina was coming back to teach. Since the cut, the director was forced to do a job that two people always did. I was in my second year of being a drum major of the band and was in charge. Mrs. Tina trusted me with a lot of stuff and I wanted to help her in any way I could. I came in the summer before school started to help get things ready for marching band. During the school year I would often help her when I didn’t have class and stay after school too. She became more than just a teacher or someone I looked up to during my junior and senior years, she became a friend and someone I could count on. 

As the end of my senior year was approaching she told me that I was an outstanding musician and a wonderful leader. As I walked out that door for the last time I thought of the first time I met her four years ago; how she was someone I looked up to, and now as I walk out of the band room for the last time she is my friend. Last year she resigned for my high school to teach in Minnesota. I was very excited for her and glad she was doing what was right for her family. A few months ago, I received the news that she was expecting her first child. Not long after that we found out that she might be getting a “pink slip” from the school she was teaching at in Minnesota. I was so worried because it already happened to her once when she taught at my school. A few weeks later we found out that it was her that was going to be receiving her pink slip. It’s so hard to even explain how I feel about this, that they would give up such a wonderful and influential teacher. The future is unsure and it is very stressful for her, especially since she is expecting her first child in August. I am fully confident that she will make it through this tough time and everything will be fine. 

This is happening all over America. Schools are not receiving enough funding and are forced to cut teachers. The first place they look is music and arts because they are seen as less important as history or English. Mrs. Tina had a huge impact on my life, and there are thousands of music teachers that are in the same position as her. The government has money to bail out banks and large corporations, but not our schools? Where would everyone be without education? America needs to get its priorities straight, schools and music should be first on the agenda. I still find myself trying to picture life without music, but it’s nearly impossible.

Needless to say, I cried like a hormonal pregnant lady when I read this.  

Jo reminded me why, through all of the cuts and stress and tough times, I continue to teach.  Music communicates what words cannot, it brings people together for a common goal, and it can truly impact lives.  Jo is changed forever because of the experiences she had during her high school career.  I am so thankful to have been a part of that.  It's so easy to dismiss the fine arts, to think it's not important, and even easier to dismiss the impact that teachers can have on students. I think Jo's testimonial showcases what so many teachers do every day - go the extra mile for their students, not because we are seeking recognition or praise, but because we want to give the best we can to our students so that they may be better people for it.  This is such a rare occasion that a student would even acknowledge the positive impact a teacher has on their life, and that is why it is so special to me.  

I have always struggled with the decision I made about going back to MCHS.  It was taxing on my marriage, on my health, on my parents, and on my sanity.  It was by far the most difficult time of my entire life.  Jo's paper shows me that I absolutely made the right decision.  

Thanks, Jo.  Love ya.

THAT Guy

We all have that person in our lives who is.....well......THAT guy.  The guy who never grows up.  The guy who still lives "the dream".  The womanizer.  The alcoholic.  The life of the party.  Mitch and I have a friend like that, whose name is Urban Cowboy.  

Mitch met Urban Cowboy when we were in college when they were both chosen as Chief.  UC is a small-town boy who loves cattle, cowboy boots, KISS, women, and booze.  Legend has it that during our days at the U of I, UC would go out to the bars every single night.  I don't doubt that it is entirely true.  I would also guess that he dated a girl from each sorority house on campus. 

The reason for this post, you ask?  This t-shirt that I received in the mail from South Cove and PK:

Yep, that's UC's mug on a t-shirt, now sold on campus.  

Now while I am fond of UC, I can't say that he's one of my favorite people.  The many random things he's said and done while I've known him make me want to either a) slap him, or b) report him to the authorities.  Let us take a trip down memory lane, shall we?  Here's a few of the many encounters, stories, and one-liners that UC has graced us with:

1.  One of my first experiences with UC was the Marching Illini road trip our junior year of college.  The first night the band performed at a high school football game, and UC had strapped flasks to his legs (inside his cowboy boots) and drank until he did this:

The t-shirt he's wearing is the high school that we were at - he had bought one at the concession stand.  Yep, totally drunk.  Made a total ass of himself.  

2.  When Mitch and I went out on campus, we frequently would run into UC.  On one particular night as he was talking with us, his head immediately snapped to one side, then he said:  "I gotta go hit on the girl with the big tits now."  And gave me a slap on the ass.  And then he was gone.

3.  After graduation, we would see UC at random events - football games, weddings, etc.  He was invited to our wedding (although I put up a fight for a while), and was more than happy to help us out by picking up Mitch's (absolutely adorable) friend Viking from the airport and driving her around for the weekend.  He continued to paw and hit on her the entire weekend.  I still think Mitch owes her for that.  

4.  Anytime Mitch talks with UC on the phone, he always reminds Mitch to "give Tina a smack on the ass for me".  What a guy.

5.  We saw UC at a wedding a year or so ago.  We immediately saw him, as he waved his Bud Light up in the air from the bar.  At dinner as the red wine was being poured by the wait staff, he commented to the waiter (after he filled his glass with a normal amount of wine):  "Go ahead and top it off, save you a trip".  The guy exudes class.   He also let me know that night that he had moved to Nashville so that he "could figure out a way to make a living playing his guitar".  The guy has marginal musical talent.  Thank goodness I had no wine in my mouth as he said that, as there most assuredly would have been red wine coming out of my nose as I laughed at him.  I still laughed at him.

6.  The most recent encounter was when Mitch texted UC to let him know that I was pregnant.  UC texted back: "That's great! Congratulations!", to which Mitch and I commented that maybe UC was growing up.  Could it be?  Wow, way to go UC!  Then, the follow-up text:  "Good to hear that you're still hitting it".  Nope, still the same guy.  

So back to the t-shirt.  While it is absolutely hilarious (and a little unusual), I'm not sure when I'll wear it.  It's big enough for me to wear during the pregnancy, which is good.  Maybe I'll wear it as a sleeping shirt, but the thought of having UC in my bed is pretty disturbing.

We'll have to wait and see.

Baby Update: Week 22

Baby:  According to "What to Expect", the baby is about a pound in weight and eight inches in length.  (According to our ultrasound, we're at 9 inches and a little over a pound.)  The baby's senses are really starting to develop, as he can see light and dark, even though his eyes are still fused shut.  He also is developing his grip, holding onto the umbilical cord and might even be sucking his thumb.  The baby is listening to my bodily functions (heart, blood circulation, gurgles in the stomach) as well as voices.  Finally, the baby is tasting everything that I've been eating, which this week, has been a lot of sweets.  

Mom:  I know I say this every week, but I'm getting even bigger.  I feel like a house, but know that this will just pale in comparison to what I'll feel like in a few short months.  I have the growing pains - back and sides mostly, and am noticing that I can't be on my feet as long as I used to be.  This week will be good as I will be back into a routine (spring break is OVER), but will have house guests again this week, as Katie and Boston are visiting this weekend.  I have a check-up tomorrow, and am dreading getting on the scale, knowing that I have really grown this week.

Here's the 22-week photo update.

Dad:  Mitch has been practicing his parenting skills on Lil' Missy this week, with her staying at the house one night and spending the day with her today for Easter.  He's been doing such a great job with it!  He also has been doing a great job of carrying everything around the house, as I really can't do it a lot anymore.  On a non-baby-related note, Mitch has several networking events this week, so in addition to his new full-time job, he's hoping his law firm will really start to take off!  

Lil' Missy's First Sleepover

In preparation to become parents (and because I had been promising for months), we had Lil' Missy over on Friday night to sleep over.  I had created a list of things to do while she was over, and we got right to it when she arrived, making signs to congratulate Mitch on his new job - "Your lucky Uncle Mitch" and "Your gonna like thes sins" (she got most of them spelled correctly, they were so cute!) and making chocolate chip cookies.

Mitch came home with pizza, we had some dinner, and I finished the baking while Mitch and Lil' Missy compared their skills on the Nintendo DS players (Mitch is an experienced player, while Lil' Missy just got hers for her birthday.  She's pretty good at the Pokemon!)  

After playing Cranium, getting ready for bed, and reading the next chapter in "The Wizard of Oz", Lil' Missy went to bed and Mitch began maybe the most important part of child-rearing:

Actually, he was just celebrating the new job.  Yay!  (But I do think this might be part of parenting - putting the kids to bed and pouring yourself a glass of the good stuff...only time will tell.....)

We anticipated an early wake-up call, and it came at 6:30am, when I heard the door to Lil' Missy's room open up and saw her peering into our bedroom.  We got up and made chocolate chip pancakes (yes, I realize we went a little chocolate overboard, but we're the aunt and uncle, and can overload her on chocolate) and bacon, then watched "Enchanted", all the while singing along with the songs.  Too bad we only know a few of the words.  Mitch did NOT sing along.  

After the movie and some more games (Sequence and Jenga), it was bathtime.  Lil' Missy was excited about the bubbles and the jets in the tub, and served up some delicious bubble shakes.

Once we were all dressed, out the door we went to return the kid to her rightful owners, armed with cookies and chocolate cake (which I had managed to keep hidden from her until right before she left.  The girl goes absolutely mad over chocolate cake - the best description for it is the same one for the dad in "A Christmas Story" when they describe his excitement at the Christmas turkey).  

Mitch and I learned a few things while Lil' Missy was here:

• We don't really have any kid-friendly music.  Not that all of our music is obscene, but what do you listen to with a 6-year old?  My solution was Jimmy Buffett.
• We need to tighten our banisters before our kids start running around.
• TV really is the best invention EVER. 
• You have to plan to leave about 20 minutes before you actually want to leave, otherwise you will never be on time.
• You need to lock the door when you go to the bathroom so that people don't open it up to tell you that they got the game out of their DS.  (Mitch learned this the hard way at 6:30 this morning).
• We need better bath toys.  
• We need blackout curtains on the baby's room so that he/she sleeps in LATE.  

Thanks to Mr. Fix-It and Al for letting us borrow their child for the night!  We had a great time!

Job Search is OVER!

I finally got a real (i.e. permanent) job in downtown St. Paul!

No more boring temp work! I don't want to say exactly where I'll be working (for Internet privacy reasons), but I will say that if you haven't paid what you owe the government then you might hear from me. :)

A Long Time Coming: Home Renovation Projects

In the last month Mitch and I have begun the first of many long-term renovation projects in the house.  We have recently created an appropriately-titled "Shit To Do" list for our house, and come up with a ten-year plan to complete it.  The first thing on the list:  baby's room.  

When we looked at the house the first time, the upstairs second bedroom looked like this:

We used it as a spare bedroom until recently, when Ma and Pa Poke came for a visit to begin the project of changing it over to a nursery.  We ripped off all of the trim and doors, then sanded and primed the walls.

Then we painted the walls a nice shade of orange (we have to start brainwashing the kid that he is an Illini through and through right away).  Actually, the color is more like orange sherbet.  Pa started installing the new trim and doors, which he had a REALLY good time doing.  

Mom did a lot of the door and trim painting, and luckily it was a beautiful weekend so we could do most of the painting outside on the deck.

A little side project that was begun was the replacement of all of the doors upstairs - both bedrooms and the bathroom.  Our house has old hollow doors, and many of them are damaged with holes.  Eventually, the entire house will be replaced with solid six-panel doors, of which Pa and Mitch installed. 

You can see that Mitch was taking notes so that he can do the rest of them himself.  Here was the semi-finished product when Mom and Dad left:

I finished painting the new doors, while Mitch and his dad re-installed the doors and put on new handles.  

After a little touch-up painting and some cleaning, here is the (almost) finished product:

We have a few outlet covers and things to take care of, and we are waiting to replace the window in the baby's room (another long-term project) before we consider this room "done".  But it's partially ready: we've got a baby blanket, Illini gear, and a Diaper Genie!  The crib is on backorder, and will be here in about a month or so. 

Finally, the finished doors:

Home improvement is very addicting - once you see how nice everything looks, you really want to do the rest of the house.  Little bits at a time!

Thor's Big Debut

Today was our first ultrasound, and boy is Thor getting big! The technician said that the baby is measuring right on target - about 9 inches long, and weighing a little over a pound. We do not know if the baby is a boy or a girl - the only person in the whole world that knows is the ultrasound tech. I did ask her, though, if women's intuitions were usually right when it came to guessing the sex, and she said that they were frequently correct. (Sorry, Mom.) But, we'll see in a few months!

In the pics, you can really see the baby's face, as well as his arm and hand. The little bit of white lines above the baby's head is the umbilical cord.

And of course, here is my 21-week picture, taken on Saturday -

Random Thoughts by Tuba Lady

Spoken by Tuba Lady during the starting lineups of tonight's NCAA Final - Michigan State (yay!) vs. North Carolina (boo):

"The only good thing that has come out of Chapel Hill is Clay Aiken."

Baby Update: Week 21

Baby:  The baby this week is the length of a large banana and weighs approximately 11 ounces.  He's practicing his swallowing and digesting every day, and therefore gets a taste of whatever mom is eating.  The arms and legs are in proportion to the rest of his body, and the cartilage is turning to bone.  His movements are becoming even more coordinated and stronger, and baby now has his own sleep schedule.  

Mom:  This week I have grown an enormous amount.  The baby has gone from a bump to a full-out belly!  I know I'll continue to get bigger and bigger, but I'm always amazed at how big I am!  (And as always, Mitch continues to remind me, "You're only going to get bigger!")  Because I am so big now, I cannot wear any of my old clothes.  They got packed up yesterday, and now my part of the closet is quite sad.  I did some good shopping to try to fill it up, though!  This week was the first week that I have become uncomfortable sleeping at times, and so I'm using an extra pillow to hug and keep me from flopping back and forth all night.  It's not so easy to roll over when you've got the extra weight in front!  We have our first ultrasound on Tuesday, and we are both really excited to see what this baby looks like.  

Dad:  Mitch has won the "Should we find out the sex of the baby?" argument.  We won't know until August.  He also has become great at helping me out of our couch, the bed, off the floor.....and for the first time last week I sent him out to get food, which he readily did.  What a guy!

Happy Birthday, Kid!

We had a fun dinner with Lil' Missy and family tonight at California Pizza Kitchen, followed by presents and birthday cake at Grama and Granpa M's house.

Happy 6th (Golden) birthday!

Can I Get Some Customer Service, Please?!?

Mitch and I received free ticket vouchers after our February debacle with a terrible airline that will remain nameless. After kicking around a few ideas on how/when to use them (Vegas was a top-runner for a long time, until we realized that I would never make it out there when I was pregnant), we decided to use them to go visit Winnie and Sarah in Florida. We made the final decision this week, and I sat down last night to book the flights.

First, I got online to see what flights were available. I found a few that would work in our time frame, checked to make sure there were available seats, then found the vouchers to book the flights. Of course, I couldn't book online - I needed to call to make the reservation. Of course, even if I booked through the phone, I'd have to either mail in my vouchers or go to the airport to redeem them. Stupid.

So, I decide to call Nameless Airline last night to book the flights. After waiting for about 10 minutes, I got to speak with a customer service representative (in India). I gave her the flight numbers and times I wanted, and she then told me that on the flight coming home, Mitch and I would have to take different flights, as there were not enough seats in our specific booking class for both of us. Now, there were plenty of seats on the flight - I checked to make sure. Just not enough in our "booking class". I explained to the lady what had happened that we received the vouchers, and asked if she could do anything else for me. She said no. I hung up and cried. (I was very weepy last night - I blame it on ER.)

Today after work I decided to try to reason with a human being in the United States face-to-face, and so went to the airport. Luckily, the airport is very close to us, so it wasn't out of the way to go there. I waited in line and spoke with a lady at the counter, told her the situation, and she again told me that she could not help me - there were now no seats on any of the flights home that I wanted. (Lie.) She was checking in people for flights, and recommended that I speak to another customer representative. At this point, I was afraid this trip would also not happen.

I waited in another line, got up to the counter, and again explained the situation, and what could they do for me so that I could use these tickets on the days that I wanted to fly. And FINALLY! this guy could help me. He cheekily booked us on a flight coming home on a different day (where there were seats available in our booking class), then changed our return flight to the day I wanted, where I knew there were seats available.

Finally. A customer service guy who knew where I was coming from, and knew I was extremely frustrated with the entire process. I am completely grateful to this kind man who booked our flights for me.

Florida, here we come!

Not an April Fool's Joke

Mitch and I woke up this morning to a ground covered in snow.  Mother Nature is freaking hilarious.  When will it be spring already?