Monday, February 12, 2007

C-o-o-o-l-d Minnesota

My grandmother isn't doing too well, so Friday morning, we got up around 4:00, packed the car, picked up my dad, and then headed to the airport in Charlotte for our 8:00 flight....or so we thought. We got there, checked in, went through security, and headed to gate E2. While we were waiting there to board, they announced that a ding had been found in the wing of the plane. They were going to try to fix it, but we were going to be delayed. Turns out, it wasnt a ding after all, but a chip in the paint. They had to have it painted before we would be able to fly. A little while later, they decided to send us on another plane and sent us down to gate E11. We were there a little while, and they announced that they were going to send us back to the original plane. So we headed back to gate E2 once more. When we got there, Steve overheard one of the mechanics talking and he said that they were not able to paint over the chip, but instead they covered it with foil tape. FOIL TAPE....basically it is a fancy duct tape!!(or at least that is what WE think!) They fix our plane with duct tape and then sent us on our way. Since we had been delayed two hours, the boy had already had his morning nap in the airport (that he was hopefully going to take on the plane) and he ended up being pretty cranky all the way there. I felt sorry for the other people on the plane, but what can you do??

We arrived in Minneapolis and it was freezing cold there. You could see your breath when you were walking up the walkway from the plane to the airport. We were all thinking why we had decided to come to Minnesota in February instead of waiting until June!!

We were able to go to the nursing home to see my grandma several times while we were there. She wasn't looking so good. It was hard to see her that way. She really enjoyed seeing Josiah and was calling him "my baby" before we left. I think she was pleased to see all the other ladies in the nursing home swooning over him and realizing that he was her great-grandson.

Saturday we went to the Mall of America with my uncle Ted. "The boys" (being my steve, my dad, and uncle ted), all wandered around together making pit stops at the Western store and Dairy Queen, while I, with the boy in the stroller, managed to walk all the way around each of the floors of the mall. I didn't purchase anything. It seemed like every other store was something about Minnesota.

We went to the airport yesterday to get ready for the trip home. Once again they sent us to gate E2. It was de ja vu. We were holding our breath hoping that there would not be another delay. After making a pit stop at Caribou Coffee for an iced mocha we boarded the plane. The trip home was much better. The boy was well behaved and he finally fell asleep, as we were landing on the runway in Charlotte! Overall it was a profitable trip. It was nice to be able to see my grandma again and for her to see Steve and Josiah. I am glad to be home where it is warm and I dont have to wear tights under my pants to keep my legs from freezing.

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