Motownphilly back again...wahdah wadah wadah wah wah... Doin' a little eastcoast swang

Yes. That IS a transcription of a song from one of the greatest singing groups ever. Boyz II Men. But that's neither here nor there...

So here is another update!!

I went to Philadelphia to visit my sister Melanie while her hubby was out of town for school. She was 38 weeks or so prego at the time and had progressed some so being alone with two kids when you may have a baby is no bueno. It was really fun to go help and hang out! But none of these pictures can be explained until I talk about my journey getting to Philadelphia...

So...

My flight leaves at 9:05 in the morning. It takes about 45 minutes to get there. I tell my buddy that's taking me to the airport that I need him at my house by 6:45 at the latest. No big deal he says...

WELL.
His phone doesn't go off. I really didn't judge him at all and I wasn't even upset with him. It happens to everyone and he's a super responsible kid. It was just a little inconvenient. I call him about 5 minutes before he's supposed to get to my house...wake him up...and he says he'll get there as soon as he can....

there's just one problem....

he lives about 45 minutes away....

welcome to singles in the midwest. None of us live by each other. He was the only one not working Saturday morning AND he's my home teacher so I thought he would be the best option.

Anyway, he gets to my house about 7:20 or so. He feels super bad but I tell him don't even worry about it. Southwest is usually super fast and if I'm there about an hour ahead I'll be fine...

or so I thought...

First of all this kid drives like a maniac which makes me super nervous. That day, however, he didn't drive like a maniac at all...and what's funny is I was kind of hoping he would so we would get there faster...interesting how that works.

There is construction, of course.

So we FINALLY get there with about an hour before my flight takes off.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MY WHOLE LIFE.

Apparently southwest planned for all of their flights to leave at the exact same time. They had us looped through the entire zigzag line in front AND THEN had us looping around the back of the airport through the employee hallways....

Wrap your mind around that. If I were to guess how long the line was I would say between 3-4 football fields.

IT. WAS. NUTS.

So I start to panic. There is NO WAY I'm gonna make this flight. My sister is pregnant, I don't know how the next flight would be and yadda yadda yadda.

So I'm talking to the lady next to me in the eternal line and we're just discussing how amazing this is and how nobody had ever seen anything like it. She asks where I'm going and why and I tell her and that my flight leaves at 9:05. I told her my sister was about to go into labor (which may or may not have been a small exaggeration, but throw me a bone. I needed to get on a flight. It could've happened!) and that her husband was out of town.

This woman was awesome! She gets all excited and says "Babies don't wait!! You have to cut!! Start asking people to get in front of them!!". I was super hesitant because I didn't want to be annoying. But by about 8:35 I was freaking out because we were still in the part of the line in outer darkness. So this lady goes with me to the front of the line and basically tells people there that I have to get in. I proceed to tell them my sister is going to go into labor...again, don't judge me - It could've happened...and a super nice guy lets me cut in front of him to check my bag. Once I get it checked I SPRINT to security.

I pick the ONE line where captain chatty is checking everyones tickets and IDs...

Then I hear a flyer's worst nightmare....

"this is the final boarding call for all passengers on southwest flight 2424 to Philadelphia. Final boarding call"

....so I start cutting again. I don't remember what was said or done, but there is a small possibility that I might have said that my sister was actually in labor and I had to get on that flight. Captain chatty is talking to people about there upcoming trips. "Oh you goin to Disney Land? You gonna ride any rides? I hear the weather is real nice! What's your name? Oh yeah? How old are you?"...I was amazed at this man. His co-workers right next to him looked up and saw the gi-NORMOUS line and tried to light a fire under it. But oh, no, no, no! Not him!

So when I get up there I again hear my nightmare confirmed...but now worse...

"Passenger Lunt for flight 2424 to Philadelphia. Please report to gate B19. Passenger Lunt. Your plane is ready for takeoff"...

So again I RUN to the security line. Kind people let me cut in front of them. I finally got all my stuff through the scanner. I grab my belt and don't even think about putting it back on and I BOOKED IT across the midway airport. My lungs felt like fire. I blew into the gate like Kramer and BARELY made it onto the plane. They closed the doors maybe three minutes after I got on gasping for breath.

It was ridiculous.

Also my luggage didn't make it on that flight so we had to come back to the airport later that day to get it.

Either way it was darn near amazing that I made it onto that flight. I never want to repeat that experience again. It's not good for your nerves.

But on a lighter note!

Here is a recap of my trip!

My niece, Rachel. She and I were buddies when they lived in Provo. I'm still her favorite aunt :)


Rachel had been really concerned about the fact that I didn't get my luggage and I think it exhausted her. So she passed out. Lincoln was cranky because they were waiting at the airport forever and he needed a nap.


He feels better if he holds Melanie's hand though. I thought that was cute.


The Liberty Bell. I had to fight my way through a bunch of tourists that I'm pretty dang sure weren't even American....


Independance Hall. Melanie was looking pretty pregnant and she noticed one of the security guards was eyeing her and her condition...so she stuck out her belly even farther. He came over and offered to let us go to the front of the line so she wouldn't have to stand. It pays to be with child.


This is the courtroom in Independance hall. They used to make the prisoners stand in the center in what looks like a cage. I think that would have an effect on the jury:)

Also don't be jealous of how put together I look. You can accomplish this too if you just wear dirty clothes and have your hair in a nasty bun. It's that simple! :)

This was another day. Washington Memorial Chapel. It was really pretty. Also I wanted to show how pregnant Melanie was - well I guess is. She still hasn't had her baby. She's ticked.



Lincoln is so dang funny. He likes to jump off of anything and everything. Each time he says "big jump!" My favorite is how none of my nieces and nephews can pronounce my name. He shortened it the most though. The most common phrase I hear from him was "Na! Ook! Bih Jum!"...translation: Deanna! Look! Big Jump! :)


Another "bih jum!"


These kids are stinkin cute. We had a good time.


I thought this was beautiful.


Pregnancy has never looked so good...


Lincoln likes to be sung to at night. So Melanie was in there singing them to bed and he wanted to cuddle. How convenient baby Hannah was right there. I thought this was hilarious so I took a picture.


The Friday I was there we had a princess birthday party for Rachel. We got out her princess tent that she got from her grandpa and grandma Danielson. It was a hit.

All the little girls at the party making princess cupcakes. Also Lincoln.


So one of the little girls at Rachel's party is at least a year younger than the others...and the social development differences between children that have just barely turned three and just barely turned four are pretty different....watch the video to see....



Talk about yer' Party Foul.




Tearing open the presents. She got some good ones.


But this one might be my favorite. Soooooo one of her friends bought her this outfit. We added the t-shirt underneath. It consists of a tiara that looks mostly like showgirl feathers. A choker. A mid-drift tube top. A mini skirt with mesh on the bottom. And a pair of heels. Yikes. Melanie and I were discussing today that we wouldn't be that sad if it accidentally fell apart...







And now the moment you've all been waiting for...









Epic.....


Here is the documenting of the run. My camera was turned sideways...which apparently is only autofixed on my camera and not anything else. Oops. You still get the idea. Also listen to what Melanie says/sings. I think it's funny.