Emily, Madeleine and Andrew, along with their moms and Baby John (in carrier Erin is wearing), just before departing Norfolk.To the first person who graciously points out the continental US is approximately 3,000 miles (not 3,600); thank you, I know. However, when one goes from Norfolk to Las Vegas and then to Spokane, the miles add up as one is not traveling in a straight line.
This year's annual Christmas pilgrimage to Spokane involved a new twist. We had the opportunity to travel with another family. Erin is another Spokane native, now living in Richmond, returning for Christmas. She and Uncle Paul were in the same class in school and her younger brother is good friends with Uncle Kyle. Consequently our families have known each other for years and years. She also has two small children and a husband who was unable to get away from work for an early Christmas departure. So, Melissa and Erin decided to play zone defense at 30,000 feet and make the trip together.
Considering the odds: a cross-country trip with two three-and-a-half year olds, one two-and-a-half year old and one three month old as well as carry-on consisting of two suitcases, two car seats, one stroller (gate checked), two heavy adult backpacks, three children's backpacks and one purse...the trip went remarkably well. We went through many, many stickers; made necklaces; colored in coloring books and snacked our way across the country. I think I can speak for Erin when I say we are both indebted to the person who invented fruit snacks as they are always popular and usually work as a bribe when a little one is in the process of losing it.
There were minimal meltdowns and Baby John slept the majority of the way (I am so jealous. I swear my ears are still ringing from when we flew from Seattle to Frankfurt with the girls when they were five months old). Erin and Melissa were able to help each other (each of us actually had the opportunity to use the restroom alone while the other one held down the fort) and more importantly look across the aisle and express mutual disbelief when it was announced there were "only three more hours" left on the first flight (it certainly felt like there should have been twenty minutes left - not three hours). I'm fairly suspicious the pilot had been circling Texas, Colorado or New Mexico just for kicks; he said something about having to go farther south of Denver because of weather - likely story.
When we changed planes I took the three "big kids" up the ramp and into the gate area while Erin waited for the stroller by the plane. Several people made comments about the cute triplets! (Please keep in mind Andrew is about 13 months younger than Madeleine and Emily, so I'm not too sure what people are thinking.) Later, when the "big kids" and I went on a short walk to look at planes while Erin guarded luggage (it was so nice to have someone who could stay with the luggage instead of dragging it up and down the terminal) I was again asked if the kids were triplets - talk about a glimpse into another world.
While people took one look at our row of six seats, two thirds of which were occupied by someone under four, and kept moving toward the back of the plane, we found many helpful strangers. People offered to grab and carry any number of things on or off the plane and for this we say thank you.
