A crazy adventure-

The military has this awesome program called Space A or Space Available. It basically means that when they have flights going out with cargo they allow passengers aboard if there is space available. Hence the name. Well, I have been WAY TOO CHICKEN to even try it before. I credit that to a lot of scary stories from friends that have been "stuck" and not made it where they planned. They have spent just as much money on hotels and rental cars than flights would have been. Sometimes they still end up buying flights so it can be rather expensive!

Well, with Rhett being gone I got the urge to get off the island. I have been dying to see my family. I haven't seen them in almost 2 years. The process was a little intimidating. I started by calling a close friend and she and her husband helped me with starting the paperwork. I then had to run over and have Rhett's boss sign some paperwork. After that, over to the AMC terminal to turn it all in. There were a couple flights heading to the states over the next several days and I was hoping to be able to catch one of them. I went over to Carter's school and withdrew him for the last couple weeks. We then went home and packed. It was a pretty crazy day.

The next day, we woke up bright and early and headed to the airport. I had 2 large suitcases, 2 carry ons, and a couple backpacks. Oh, and I had my four little boys. Can't forget them. They were so excited. The waiting process was hard and a little discouraging. We sat through 4 roll calls and didn't make any flights. We did make some new friends though. We met two beautiful families that had flown over to Kadena from Yokota. They thought it might be easier to get a flight from there. Unfortunately, they had been stuck in Kadena for 7 days. They were in the process of trying to get a hotel, which is nearly impossible during PSC season. The wife of one of the families was in tears and I felt the urge to invite them home with us for the night. We were both heading back to the airport at 6:00 a.m. and it broke my heart to see her stress. She and her husband accepted and were so thankful for our generosity. They also had 2 adorable little boys with them. A four month old and a three year old. We were in the airport from 9:00 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.

The next morning, I shuttled both families back to the airport and got all checked in. The boys were a little sleepy as it was 5:30 in the morning. We sat through another roll call that we missed, but the boys were still real troopers. The hardest part was loading all of our luggage back out to the car. We went and grabbed a bite to eat and hit a close park for about an hour. Then, back to the airport we went. We waited for the next 2 roll calls which we again made no flights. We are a pretty low category and there were a lot of people there. Without Rhett I am a category 4. They start from 1 and go down the list. Category 2 is flying with your spouse on leave. I wished for a second I had made the flight a few weeks earlier with Rhett. It definitely would have made my chances greater for getting aboard. We hugged our new friends and were excited for them to get a spot on the Alaska flight. 

We waited some more. There was one last roll call that day. I looked around and debated even staying for it. There were so many people trying for the same flight. I asked the airmen where we were at on the list and he stated that we were 85. That meant that 35 people had to no show for us to make it on the flight to Hawaii. I kissed Carter and told him that we could keep trying for a few more days if we didn't make it, but our chances were not real great. As they were calling names, every time someone no showed the guy would smile at me and make a hand motion of how many more I needed to not show up. It was entertaining. As they were doing the roll call they had a slight malfunction and the computer went down. I knew there were only a few seats left and I had no clue where I was at on the list. They called someone named Paloma and she checked in with her baby. I held my breath and my name was called. I didn't know what to do. I felt like jumping over the counter and kissing the poor airmen. That may have been slightly awkward, but I was so excited. It really is bittersweet. You can't even yell Yay or anything because you are surrounded by people who did not make the flight. I felt like everyone had a story and wanted to make the flight for some reason. I grabbed my bags and waited in the long line to check in.

After I had checked in the baggage and we were getting ready to board the plane they announced that the plane was having problems. It would not be going out that day and to meet at 6:00 the next morning for the flight. It was disappointing, but we had done the hard part. We were manifested to get on that plane so we knew we had a seat. No more waiting and not knowing.... We were at the airport from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

To be continued...

They have something called a family room and it was my saving grace. They have a few couches, some toys, and a tv. They also have doors that you can shut so not everyone in the airport wants to kill your children. We spent many hours in the the family room on Kadena. The kids did a great job. I was so proud of each one of them. Carter was adorable. He kept asking the status and if we had made the plane. He knew what was going on and was such a good helper with his brothers.

Here are a few pictures of the twins playing the the family room. Oh, and please ignore all the typos. I am not on Utah time and it's really late, but Rhett begged me to blog so he can see his boys and hear about our crazy, spontaneous adventure.

Our crazy adventure- (continued)

We were so happy to be able to get out of the airport!

Day 3 of our crazy adventure started early. 5:00 a.m. to be exact. We met at the airport and went through the security gates. Then, we waited a few hours to board. See us smiling though? That's because we knew we were headed home.

This was our plane. It was a C-5 and full of cargo. We climbed that large staircase to the top of the plane where they had airline seats available. The only difference is that we had a little more leg room and they were backwards. That was a little weird at first, but you didn't seem to really notice it after take off. Take off you really notice it though as it normally pins you to your chair we were all forced to lean forward. :) I actually had to hold the babies on their chairs because they kept sliding off.

The babies hogging my seat!

It was a 9 hour flight to Hawaii. They had fixed the plane, but the AC was still broken. So for 9 straight hours we were sweating. YUCK! It was also really loud. They handed out ear plugs at the beginning of the flight and I though, "Oh weird, I wonder if these are really necessary." Well, they were. lol. It worked to my advantage though. Having small children they tend to sometimes complain. With the plane being so loud nobody was able to hear. :) We were able to get on the same flight as a great family from our ward in Kadena. This was FANTASTIC. This being my first space A flight I was a little nervous, but it worked really nice to just tag along with the Dalton Family. They have a 16 year old son that took it upon himself to partner up with Taylor. He took such great care of him.

Another difference from this flight than the flight over was my babies were in diapers coming over to Okinawa. I just changed them once or twice and they were good to go. NOT THIS TRIP! I think I was in the bathroom for at least 2-3 hours of the 9 hour flight helping random kids. It was GROSS! Anyway, this was a little inconvenient, but they did great going potty. lol.

Carter playing pilot.

The coolest guy I've met. Very caring and genuine!

The coolest thing about the flight was the pilots. They were so amazing. From helping me carry up my bags to  watching kids while I went to the bathroom. They were there to help me in anyway that I needed.

Carter also had a very cool experience. He had told one of the pilots upon arriving in the plane that he wanted to be a pilot when he got bigger. They came back and grabbed me and Carter and took us down a steep staircase. We then walked down the plane on a little balance beam and up another steep staircase and arrived in the cockpit of the plane. One of the pilots got up from his chair and seated Carter there. They then put the headphones on and he got the opportunity to meet and talk to each of the pilots. They asked him all sorts of questions about his family and he asked them lots of questions about flying. It literally melted my heart to see them give my child so much attention. The pilot then gave us a cool tour of the cockpit and what all the buttons and stuff did. They showed us there sleeping quarters which were little bunk beds and there little kitchen. :) It was such a cool experience for Carter and I. Carter was in absolute Heaven and the pilots were the coolest guys ever!

Hunter got a little bored as it was a LONG flight so he played in his pillowcase! lol. We also played with iphones, and watched one movie on my laptop. They did take about a 2 hour nap, but were awake much of the time. We had purchased sack lunches so they were handed out during the flight. It came with a ham and cheese sandwich, chips, m&m's, a granaola bar, water, and a can of pepsi. That may have effected why my children slept very little. lol. Anyway, it was a LONG day! We arrived in Hawaii safe and sound and were told it was a 5 hour wait until we would board to head to Travis AFB in California. 

Taylor and his partner Matt.

To be continued...

Our crazy adventure continues-

Day 4

We had finally landed in Hawaii and waited about 4 hours to board and head to California when we were informed the plane was having some issues and wouldn't be going that night. By this time it was 3:30 a.m. and we were exhausted. We got a taxi and headed to the nearest hotel. We checked into our outrageously expensive room and slept until check out. 

I don't think I have ever paid $150 to sleep for 5 hours before, but honestly it was needed. We were all SO exhausted and SO sick of airports. I would pay it again! The next morning we headed back to the airport to check on the status of our plane.

To be continued...

Our crazy adventure continues-

After we got back to the airport we were informed that the plane was NOT FIXED. No big deal... first stop, rental car. I rented a cute little Mazda 6 and we were good to go. Matt Dalton (16) noticed that his Mom had rented a minivan so he quickly called shot gun in my car. lol. We then followed the Daltons over to the hotel on base to see if they had any openings. They were fully booked, but sent us just up the road to Pearl Harbor Navy Base. It was so amazing to see all the huge ships right next to our room. I was in complete awe of the size. I would have taken a few pictures, but all pictures are banned. They enforce this rule with several soldiers up on deck with guns. I decided to just enjoy looking. :)

We checked into our rooms and were pleasantly surprised by a flock of adorable birds waiting on our patio. They were so cute. We also stopped to take a photo by the Hawaii sign just to show we were there. 

The kids were so excited to be in a new hotel room. I was so excited by the price. $55 compared to the $150 the night before. You may notice that there was only one bed in the picture. Not to worry- I placed all the blankets on the floor and made a big bed for all the boys and slept on the bed by myself. Well, half the night anyway. When I woke up the next morning they were all over me. It was such a fun adventure. They didn't worry at all that we were stuck and the plane was broke. We just took advantage of the mini vacation to Hawaii.

After getting our luggage up to the rooms we put on swimsuits and headed to find something fun to do. It wasn't long before we happened upon a beautiful beach to play at. We let the kids play in the water, but I have to say we have been spoiled. This water was a little chilly for my taste. I prefer the bath water of the East China Sea to do my playing in. The kids didn't seem to mind at all though and had a great time playing in the water and sand. Poor rental cars were covered in sand. :( Oops.

We then, hit up Walmart for prepay cellphones and a few other necessities. None of my family knew I was on my way. It was not so much that I wanted to surprise them, but that I didn't know if I could even get out with space A. I didn't want to tell everyone we were coming and then have to call them back and say we weren't going to make it. I bought the cell phone though just in case we had any problems. :) Anyway back to the story. I forgot how much I like Walmart. Everything was so cheap compared to Japan.

The next morning, we woke up and everyone had a craving for pancakes. We had been living on fast food and we really wanted something homemade. So we drove a little while down the road until we found ourselves an IHOP. The kids were in heaven as were the adults. It is so much like dessert. Oh, and speaking of dessert.... Ted's Bakery. YUM! When Rhett and I lived in Hawaii I gained a good 15 lbs alone off Ted's Bakery pies. They are absolutely orgasmic. I couldn't come to Hawaii and not get one. The kids got these cute smily face pancakes. 

After breakfast we knew we were running out of time and needed to head back to the airport soon, BUT before we went we knew we needed to show and tell the kids all about Pearl Harbor. We went on a little tour of the USS Missouri and then went over to Pearl Harbor to see the monument and learn a little bit more about the military. It was a great leaning experience for the kids. We all had a great time together. It was such a beautiful day and what a wonderful place to get "stuck."

Rhett laughed so hard when he saw the picture above. He made sure to tell me that Matt and I looked like a couple and I had better not be trading him in for a younger model. I reassured him by telling him that even though I loved all the help that Matt was during the trip he was still only 16 and Rhett has NOTHING to worry about. I have to say that I loved getting stuck with people I know though. It was so much more fun than if I had gotten stuck by myself. Oh, and Ryker DEMANDED his own picture by this sign. After that we returned our cars and headed back into the dreaded airport for another long day of waiting. We got back right around 2:00 p.m. and they were still working on the plane. We waited until 8:45 when they announced that the plane was fixed and would be taking off right around 10:00. Yay! Mini vacation over and ready to start the next leg of the trip.

To be continued...

Our crazy adventure continues-

Day 6, I think...

 You may ask, "How in the world did you entertain kids in an airport for so many hours?" Well, we played lots of games including duck duck goose. This was the kids favorite. Also Hawaii had an amazing family room that included a small outdoor playground. The kids watched movies, played on iphones, and played with each other. They also took turns giving one another rides on the luggage. lol.

Alright back to the adventure. We had just gotten on a plane headed for Travis AFB. It is located right in between Sacramento and San Francisco. The plane ride was about 5 1/2 hours and we left Hawaii about 11:00 p.m. I was again impressed by the pilots of the plane. I had to use the restroom at one point during the flight and asked if he would please watch the kids for a second. I came back to him sitting in my seat with a twin on each side of him dead asleep. He smiled and told me that he didn't mind sitting and watching them and that they reminded him so much of his boy at home. I actually took the seat next to him and he told me all about his family and his life in the military. All the while... he was holding my sleeping angels. They had fixed the AC and we FROZE our butts off. He saw me shivering and came over and asked if I wanted another blanket. I told him that would be fantastic and he went back to his seat to get one. All of them must have been in use so he quietly unrolled his own sleeping bag and placed it over me and the children. He was seriously such a kind, compassionate guy. He also helped me put shoes back on the kids when we landed and carried one of my bags down to the bus. I think he understood that it isn't easy to be traveling with four young kids and he was going to do everything in his power to make it easier. I will appreciate his gesture and will be looking for opportunities of my own to make someone's life easier. Thank you Major ______.

 We arrived in California around 7:30 in the morning. After grabbing our luggage we headed to the rental car place. We rented a nice little SUV and were on our way. The Dalton's were actually heading to Cedar City, UT. It made it nice. We were able to follow them all the way home. The car ride was LONG! It took us 13 hours to drive to St. George. Keeping in mind, we had just taken the red eye flight from Hawaii. I was EXHAUSTED! Matt actually took a turn at the wheel while I slept for an hour. I was able to pull myself together after a monster and some food and we drove straight home. We arrived at Melanie's house right before midnight. She had made us some adorable signs and cookies and the kids were so glad to be done traveling. It was quite the adventure. I surprised my Mom a day later when I called her phone from outside her house. I said, "I just miss you so much and wish we could see you." Then, we walked in! I have never been so excited to hug anyone in my life! I truly was home. That's all for our space A adventure, but we have done so many things here so Rhett, keep checking back to see your babies! I love you Rhett and wish you were here with us. I will eat some Cafe Rio for you! :)

Thank you for the signs and cookies Melanie. We were so excited to get to see you and can't wait to spend some more time with you. We hope you are enjoying your little adventure and will see you soon!

Again, sorry for all the typos and bad grammar. One day I will go back through and edit everything to make it nicer, but right now I only have time to quickly post our memories.

Cultural Experience

Rhett HATES sushi. So after he left I decided to take my boys to see how they would like it. I have decided I like SOME sushi... nothing to wild for my taste. We went to a little place called Ryuku Sushi and I was pleasantly surprised when 3 out of the 4 actually liked it. Taylor DID NOT, but ate 

the Taco Roll just fine! What a wuss! 

We had a really good time though and they all did GREAT for being in a restaurant. They were very well behaved. I love these little ones!