Friday, August 12, 2011

Flying Away

My daughter has been wanting to take a trip to Italy, but we wouldn't let her.  So, when she was invited to fly up to Wisconsin to visit her auntie, she jumped at the chance.  We found her a non-stop flight to Milwaukee from Omaha, and drove three hours to put her on a flight than took less than an hour and a half.

The last time Jim and I flew (and the only time for that matter) was 24 years ago on our honeymoon.  Things have changed a lot since then.  Now, there are a lot of rules and regulations.  Like the one about any liquids in your carry on have to be 3 oz. or less and fit all in a quart plastic bag.  Try THAT one with a teenager. She could have carried on all her luggage except figuring out bottles and plastic bags defeated me and I paid for the checked bag.  And then the security....We got gate passes so we could see Lynette to the gate, which meant we had to go through security just like everyone else.  I didn't have much, but Jim forgot to leave his pocket knife in the van, so we left minus one pocket knife.

It was fun to watch people go through security.  There are the business men, who quickly and methodically put their things in the baskets and go quickly through.  Then there are parents of children, taking off everyone's shoes.  And, there was also one dad in a hurry, rushing through, dropping things on the conveyor, having to take shoes off at the last minute, discovering the baskets and rushing back and forth.  I hope he made the flight.

We allowed plenty of time, so we had plenty of time to sit. It is just as well, since a steady stream of people went through the security checkpoint the whole time we were there.

She wouldn't admit to feeling nervous and walked right on the plane like she'd flown many times before.


Her window is on the other side of the plane. 



And away we go!



on camera, too, especially when I'm not paying close enough attention. 

Like I said, we haven't been in an airport for about 10 years, (Jim's dad flew once while he lived with us), but that day, my dad flew out of that airport in the morning, and those two kids we know that spent 8 weeks in Finland were coming in in the evening with a special family member.  And we didn't get to see any of them.  



4 comments:

gkey said...

dear Mama of the baby bird,

Your girls' first flight has touched a very keen memory for me....of MY first baby birds' first solo flight many years ago. And then my 2nd baby bird's first solo flight too. I will never forget my feelings while watching the plane dissappear into the clouds with her in it.

I know Lynette would be having a grand time up North. Beware: She will be planning the NEXT flight before she touches down from this one!

love,
Another MamaBird
in
NE

Ruth said...

I'll bet Bonita and Dorothy are at least as excited as Lynette! They will all have a wonderful time.

The J's said...

I'm so happy she got to go! Such fun memories she will be making. I can't believe they let you go down to the gate!! They wouldn't let Luanne and I when the kids left to fly oversea's. (maybe we didn't look panic'd enough?!!) haha!

Gramma's Corner said...

When I was reading all the information it motioned something about a gate pass and you needed to get it when you made reservation, which I didn't learn until AFTER I made the reservations, so I asked at the ticket counter if we could have gate passes, and they gave them to us and we went through security like all the passengers, shoes off and everything, and Jim lost his pocket knife, but we got to see her off.