My Flight Story

Here is something that I typed on the road and am posting from the hotel:

Here is my summary story of my trip here:

Leaving the mission was difficult. I didn’t want to leave my family there. I started missing them the minute the door closed on the vehicle and I watched them disappear through the window.

Things went well. When we got to the airport, two guys came up to the car to grab the bags. I was very happy to have them there – I didn’t want to fight the crowd and my bags. They grabbed the bags and did their job – I just kept an eye on them and followed. I paid them once I got through the security checkpoint and they put them on a cart for me. I got my bags checked in without any issues even though both bags were just under 10% heavier than they should have been (the scale I used at the mission wasn’t exactly accurate).

We left Port-au-Prince on time, if not a couple minutes early, on the plane. The guy that sat next to me and I started talking. It turns out that he is adopting from Haiti, too, and he was adopting from a place that I was not only familiar with, but I was in the process of helping the missionaries at that orphanage diagnose their car problems (Three Angels). We talked most of the way to Miami. He, Jason, was a great blessing to me not only in conversation, but as a distraction from leaving my family behind. Thank you Jason! We’ll continue to be in touch!

When we got to Miami, Jason helped me get through customs faster than I probably would have on my own. I got through the customs line first and waited for him. Just as he was getting done, a customs agent was trying to get my attention and said, “Sir…MOVE!” Apparently, they didn’t want me standing there waiting for him. He was done anyway so we walked together and he stayed with me helping me as far as he could.

I got to the gate to Atlanta on time, but it was full (I was standby using my dad’s pass because he used to work there – thank you Dad!). I sat around for another 1.5 hours for the next flight – it too was full. I sat around for another 1.5 hours and I barely made it on that flight.

All along through the missing flights and arriving I managed to easily find people that would let me borrow their cell phone – I quit my service over a year ago. It was so great to have so many nice people that would let me borrow their phone.

I got to Atlanta and the flight was supposed to be a piece of cake to get on according to what my dad saw on the list of passengers. It wasn’t. I was hanging on by a thread as I saw the list of standby passengers and the number of available seats. In the end, I made it by 1-3 people.

Getting to Minneapolis felt very good – very familiar. I walked to the baggage claim and I saw some feet that looked familiar as I descended the escalator. Those feet belonged to my sister and mom, with my dad and brother-in-law’s feet right behind them.

After hugs and some brief conversations, my bags were sitting there waiting for me. They got there before I did – probably on the first flight I missed.

As we walked to the car, seeing the cars all nice and clean without barriers/defense on the fronts and rears was very different than I had gotten used to. As we drove to my parent’s home, seeing the sides of the roads without debris or garbage or pigs or dogs with tumors hanging was strange. I had gotten pretty used to those things. It was good to see all of the familiar sights again.

As I started to unpack some things and talk with my parents, I was getting pretty light headed. It was overwhelming to be back in the States, I had a long day, and I hadn’t eaten much (hardly anything). I was ready for bed and went to sleep around 12:30.

I got up at 5:30 the next day and heard a cardinal outside. I went to sit on the front steps. That was my worst point thus far. I was completely overwhelmed thinking about my family and the amazing blessing that it is to be able to live in the States – we have it so nice here in the States. After a short bit, my mom came out to comfort me and eventually recovered.

On that Saturday, the first thing we did was go get tabs for my truck so I could pick it up from my good friend’s house (thank you Greg for hanging on to it in your garage for over a year! I bet it will be nice to not have that in your way any longer). It was good to see Greg and his wife and child. They are expecting in September and I forgot to take pictures for my wife to see – I’ll be back. They were on their way out and I continued my mechanic job – I replaced their thermostat before they left (it was the most difficult thermostat replacement I have ever done – not easy to get to).

We did some shopping and then headed back to my parents house. That’s about all of the somewhat interesting things that happened. I still have many things that amaze me that I hope I never take for granted again:

• High water pressure for showers
• Hot water out of the sinks and showers
• Access to many things at many stores – all readily available
• Cheap foods (some fruits and veggies are more here)
• Clean roads and rivers
• Smooth roads
• Green, lush grass
• Padded carpet
• Towels that don’t smell like mildew (not my wife’s fault)
• Mold that doesn’t grow in minutes

Many, many more things (I need to keep a list so that when I feel like complaining about something I can just turn to the list and feel more privileged than before I looked at the list).