Traveling Post # 2: Still en route

[Note: I wrote this as we waited to board our flight to Munich from Washington Dulles, but didn’t get a chance to post it until now.]

David has now officially had his first travel hiccup. When we went through the security check at SAT, he placed his shoes, hat, and sunglasses in the same tub to go through the x-ray thing. He left his cell phone in his pocket, so the metal detector went off when he went through it. He had to empty his pockets and go back though. As a result of this delay, his sunglasses were stolen by an older lady who was in front of us. When I said something to her, she said that they belonged to her husband. David was tied up with security and I couldn’t ask him if they were his. I guess her husband needed them more than David did. For the next two hours as we waited to board our plane every time he saw an older lady, he asked if she was the thief…he was ready to jump the lady to get his sunglasses!

When we were waiting in line to board the plane, the weird surreal feeling I have had since we got our travel date left and reality set in. I could no longer keep my emotions at bay. I started shaking and crying pretty hard. There are no words that I can write to fully convey the emotions I am now going through. I am full of joy and excited, but my heart is also broken by the fact that our children’s first years have not been with us.

We had to end up checking our 2 carry-on bags because they were too big. When we checked in at the ticket counter, they did not tell us that the bags were too big. It wasn’t until we were about to actually step foot on the plane when one of the flight attendants told us they were both too big and would have to be checked. So, we scrambled to grab a few essential items to carry with us on the flights.

David is constantly nagging at me to keep a watchful eye on my things and to make sure any valuables are safely hidden. I have now heard his warnings and “reminders” for 7 hours straight. He doesn’t think it is too funny when I “remind” him that he is the one that allowed his eyeglasses to get stolen because he wasn’t keeping a “watchful eye” on his things!

Other than the sunglasses being stolen and my emotional breakdown, we made it okay to Dulles. We have a 4 hour layover before our flight leaves for Munch. We are going to go grab a burger and fries at Five Guys. Believe me, we are going to savor every bite because it will be several weeks before we will be able to eat a good American cheeseburger!

David and me at SAT waiting to board our plane to Dulles