traveling plans

It has been a whirlwind of a weekend trip for me. I arrived here on Thursday night after a flight with unruly children and an unruly older gentleman sitting behind me (do you really need to put your knees in the back of my chair? Really?). I was glad that I didn't check any luggage and that I was able to skip the usual idiotic jockeying for position around the baggage carousal. Fools sometimes amuse me, but that is one place where fools only have one purpose: to annoy me. I was glad we avoided that particular annoying aspect of traveling. Anyhow, we have eaten well, hitting most of my favorite places, including my favorite breakfast place, my favorite cheese steak place, and my favorite local Chinese place. We have had a ton of fun, and have had nary a dull moment since I have been here.

Our party for our kids went extremely well, with a spectacular turnout of friends and family. It was absolutely wonderful to see so many people whose desire it was to see our beautiful children. We were able to share at least part of our lives with those whose relationships we cherish, and it was wonderful to introduce our kids to the different people. Mom and Dad Clemens (along with Karla, Janine's sister) put a lot of time and effort into getting things prepared for the event, so we are extremely grateful for their help in getting it all together. I was just glad that everything turned out so well and that it was just a great celebratory time. The kids did very well, too, especially considering how it intruded on their nap time. Good stuff.

So we are actually supposed to be on our way to SLC right now. We went out to the airport today, believing that all was well (it was at my last check online). However, after we are dropped off, we run into problems at curbside check-in. We are told that we need to go to the ticket counter inside. So we trudge our bags inside (I am carrying probably 130 pounds of luggage at this point, while Janine tries to manage one of the boys in a stroller while maneuvering two rolling carry-ons at the same time...it was quite the scene, I am sure) and make our way to the line. We found an open place where Janine could wait with the kids and the luggage while I waited in line. The line was not really moving, which gave me plenty of time to notice on the board that our flight has been delayed an hour and twenty minutes. We realize that this will not allow us to catch our connecting flight from Cincinnati and that we are not going to make it back to SLC tonight. . .until I see a flight to SLC leaving in about an hour. I foolishly thought we might be able to get on that. But time rolls on and I am not moving very quickly. I moved much quicker when they started having to cart people off who looked like they had been there since Ford was president...seriously...it was a long time. Moses was the first to drop out...then Abe Lincoln ( I thought they would have flown him on Air Force One or something), eventually I get to the front only to be told the obvious; we're not going to make it to SLC tonight. So we book a flight for tomorrow, with an expected arrival about 20 hours later than we had originally planned, but better than their suggestion (we are staying at Janine's parents house) of flying through and getting put up in Cincinnati (I have never been there, but I really don't want to stay there tonight). We actually ended up calling MaryAnne (Janine's mom) while she and Jerry were attending a benefit dinner and auction just a few miles down the road at Citizen's Bank Ballpark. She volunteered to come get us and drive us back to the house. We were so glad that she could come so soon. The kids did wonderfully, in spite of circumstances, and are out playing at a park right now. I am amazed at their resiliency as they overcome all sorts of obstacles and changes that are put in front of them. Each one of them possesses such a great sense of humor, too, that it puts all the rest of us "mature" adults at ease when they make us laugh at any given time. We are always so grateful for our kids.

Anyhow, all this to say that our time here has been wonderful. It was great to fly in and get bombarded by my kids and to see extended family here again. Really, it was a little shorter than I would have liked it to be, but it has been great none-the-less. We will be home soon, Pak, so hang tight. The kids miss you. The kids miss many of you back home in SLC. We will see you soon.

anybody want to go get some tattoos?