Step 115: Oregon is the Motherland...

Well, I'm back.

Back in the super hot/sweaty land of Texas.

Getting to Oregon was an adventure...

Our short layover in Denver turned into an all day affair.

They loaded us up on our flight to Eugene and so that means one of those super tiny lil commuter planes. UGH... too small.

We sit for over an hour and then we all file OFF the plane.

Mechanical delay....

Three hours later ~ CANCELLED flight.

Two hours in a super long customer service line while I am trying to rebook another flight with our travel agent at the same time.

Secure a flight to Portland but it leaves in a little over an hour and we have to RUN through the airport to get to the gate... (it took 45 minutes of running w/ three lil ones and their backpacks, car seats, our carry-ons)

Get to the gate and discover that our seats are spread throughout the plane.

Gate agent REFUSES to rearrange passengers so that Lance and I can have our YOUNG children near us. Quoting her, "Just put your oldest with your youngest... it'll be fine."

My oldest is 8 and youngest is 5. That is SOOOOO NOT FINE.

Get on the plane toward the front of the line... YES, I cut big time so that I could start asking people if they would switch with my kids so that we could all be together. Every person I asked.... totally moved. The gate agent was just lazy and didn't want to help me. Grrrrrrrr.....

I do not like Denver... no I do not.

Portland bound flight must fly through huge thunderstorms that have now rolled into Denver... we can't fly OVER storms so we must fly THROUGH storms.... worst turbulence EVER. The flight attendants served our drinks 30 minutes before we landed. Turbulence so bad they had to stay in their seat belts for most of the flight. We were getting tossed and thrown around and I was getting so sick...

Get to Portland, no luggage. Go to luggage office... our luggage is waiting in Eugene for us. Rent a truck (one way). Drive to the Eugene airport and turn in truck. Rent our SUV that we had prearranged and go find our luggage. The airline had shredded one of our bags. Brand new, never been used before. Agent assesses damage and calls it, "Normal wear and tear." I go ballistic. She calls security ~ TRUE STORY. I'm beyond exhausted. I agree to walk away with shredded luggage to prevent from being put in the 'special room' where unruly airport people are sent.

But I made it... I made it HOME. To the motherland... OREGON!

Perfect weather, perfect temps, perfect visits with family and friends.

Now I'm just trying to figure out how to get back there... permanently.