Inaugural family flight {vacation part one}

IT'S OFFICIAL.  WE HAVE EARNED OUR WINGS. 

LAST WEDNESDAY WE ABANDONED OUR VEHICLE OF CHOICE, THE ODYSSEY, AND BOARDED A PLANE.  FOUR TICKETS.  FOUR SEATS.  BOUND FOR MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

NOT WANTING TO MAKE A ROOKIE MISTAKE, I CONSULTED THE BEST, PACKED STRATEGICALLY, FILLED MY CARRY-ON WITH TREASURES,  SAID A PRAYER, POPPED TWO ZOFRAN (my head and stomach do not tolerate traveling as graciously as I would like) AND HOPED FOR THE BEST.

FOR OUR SWEET ONES, THE AIRPORT TURNED OUT TO BE THE EQUIVALENT OF DISNEY WORLD.  AFTER PASSING SEAMLESSLY THROUGH SECURITY (thank you, Jesus!), WE PARKED OURSELVES IN FRONT OF A WINDOW AND WATCHED PLANE AFTER PLANE TAKE OFF AND LAND.  SQUEALS OF DELIGHT FILLED OUR CORNER OF THE AIRPORT, AS WE MUNCHED ON A GREASY BREAKFAST, MADE LAST MINUTE TRIPS TO THE BATHROOM, AND READIED OURSELVES FOR OUR MAIDEN FAMILY VOYAGE.

THE SLIM LEATHER SEATS, SUDDENLY APPEARED GIGANTIC AS THEY SWALLOWED OUR CHILDREN, THEIR BLANKIES AND AIRPLANE TREASURES.

WE HAD PLANNED TO BUCKLE THE LITTLE MAN SNUG IN HIS CAR SEAT; HOWEVER, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT HAD OTHER PLANS.  OVERALL, HE TOLERATED THE SEAT BELT, SETTLING FOR LIMITED VIEWS OF THE BLUE SKY AND THE ENTERTAINMENT HIS MOTHER PROVIDED.

THE LITTLE LADY WAS A DREAM CONSIDERING SHE WAS SEATED DIRECTLY BEHIND HER FATHER, AND AN AISLE SEPARATED US.  ONCE HER SEAT BACK TRAY WAS PERFECTLY ORGANIZED, SHE SANG HER WAY TO MILWAUKEE.

"I'M IN THE LORD'S ARMY....YES, SIR!"

APPARENTLY, THIS IS (NOW) HOW WE ROLL.


HATS OFF TO THOSE FAMILIES WHO BRAVE THE BLUE SKIES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WHILE OUR TRAVELS WERE SMOOTH AND THE SKIES PLEASANT,  I PREFER THE COMFORT OF MY VAN'S CAPTAIN CHAIR AND THE OPEN ROAD.