OK, so we're home, or more or less home. We survived our flight to Baltimore, and then to Houston. The full story of our flight is as follows: We were supposed to take off around 1240 (midday) on Tuesday, 6 May. When we checked in with our 6 suitcases, 3 carryons, and a GIANT kennel with the dog in it, they told us the flight boarding time wasn't till 5 pm...well naturally this raised some questions with us, and when we asked we found out the charter flight we were supposed to be on hadn't arrived from where it was taking off and they were predicting around 5 pm as a new boarding time...lol... Good thing for us, AJ could keep an eye on the arrivals/departures from the Current Ops office (where he used to work), so he hung out there, while Josh, Gus and I went with Shannon to her house after a pizza lunch. Josh got a teeny tiny nap, and then we headed for the PAX terminal again. Got in, thru security, after having to dump out a couple of our bags, and sat to wait for the new crew to show up for the flight to Baltimore. They started us boarding around 6 pm, and we got on, got settled, with Josh in his car seat and all...and we waited...for an hour...then they told us there was a problem with seating, and we'd all need to deplane so they could sort it out...so we dragged a hungry, tired Josh back off the plane, and waited another 20-30 min for them to reboard the plane. We finally took off around 8:30 or so. The flight went ok...Josh fell asleep, so we were able to watch a not very good movie, eat dinner, and relax a little. Then, about 2 hours or so from landing, Josh threw up...EVERYWHERE!! Poor thing, I think he had caught a litttle stomach bug or something, but we didn't know that at the time. And there was NO warning...just all of a sudden vomit everywhere. And of course all the lights were off since it was still "night" on the plane, so I took Josh to the tiny lav and attempted to clean him up, with the help of a very nice flight attendant, who supplied us with warm, wet cloths, paper towels, and even went and got a change of clothes from our bag (left with AJ). Unfortunately, in pulling Josh's t-shirt over his head, he had vomit stuck all in his hair and that was tougher to clean out...stank up to high heaven! Anyway, we survived and Josh didn't throw up again, so it was ok. We landed at BWI around 11 pm, went thru passport control, got our bags and the dog (keep in mind that with all this junk, we have Josh in his seat stuck on top of the umbrella stroller, and two carts, one with the dog's kennel, one with ALL our bags!), went through customs with nothing worse than a chuckle from the official, and out to a crowd of people all cheering, clapping and handing out stuff (cards, water bottles, etc.) to all of us, as the plane was mostly full of troops coming back from Down Range. It was kind of cool, even though we weren't really part of that group, and one of the guys helped AJ push our two carts of stuff.
We called the hotel, and they said the shuttle would be there any time. Well, they were; we saw them on our way across the road from the first median to the second one...they barely paused, then sped off. So we waited awhile to see if they'd come back, and then called again. Finally they returned...and we had to load the dog and bags...luckily there were several deployed guys headed somewhere else, who had missed connecting flights and were staying overnight as well, and they helped us. REally nice guys! We got checked in, and two trips later, got all of us up the elevator to the 7th (top) floor and into a room that reeked of cigarette smoke...lovely. Josh and I got in the shower to wash off the nasty smells, and then AJ, and then we all fell into bed (together, since there was no baby crib for Josh, even though I had requested one...). We got in bed around 0215 (morning) and the alarm went off at 0430 (just over two hours later) for us to get to the airport for the 0700 flight that Josh and I were booked on. Got checked in with little to no trouble (thank goodness AJ came with us!!), and thru security, and on the plane with little waiting. Perfect flight, Josh slept most of it, and when he did wake up, was content to just munch a little and let me change his diaper on the floor next to the lavs, since there was no changing table on the 737 we were on. Got to Houston, had some very nice people help us to get on/off the plane, and got to the baggage claim where my parents and Carla (my awesome mother-in-law) were meeting us to help us get to the house. I was so happy to see them!! It was nice to be done for awhile! Anyway, that's our journey. AJ had to come with the dog later in the day, since they couldn't put that big kennel on the morning planes. He got in that night, and we were all so happy to be done traveling for awhile!
So that was our journey...I hope never to do it again!
Sorry, I can't get the pictures to be in the right order again...so start at the bottom, ok?
Isn't he cute!!
On Monday, we went to the beach at Galveston. The guys went out in the hand built double seat kayak that my father-in-law (Jim) built, and Carla and Josh and I came a little later and played in the sand. Josh LOVED it!!
The day Aunt Kara came home, Josh decided he just loved her, and fell asleep in her lap watching TV. I think Aunt Kara likes him, too!
My Mom bought this from kingwoodyardsales.com and got a really good deal on it...it may look familiar to anyone who goes to the Methodist church, since apparently it used to be theirs before it moved to the backyard at my parents' house. Josh loves to climb up and open the door, but not slide...he gets very frustrated to be at the bottom and have to do it all over again.
Josh's new car...well, it's actually pre-owned, but in really good shape! He loves it!
Another pic of the new Honda C-RV. Brand new!
A HORRIBLE picture of me with the NEW CAR. It's so much prettier than me...
Josh looking over the backseat in the NEW CAR. I don't know if you can see it, but he had a nosebleed on the way from the dealership...not too cool, but it didn't get on anything, really.
Josh in the NEW CAR! I think he approves.
This is Josh's Sonic commercial picture! His first Sonic, and he loved it. See the nice smile?? We were on our way to pick up my NEW CAR!!
Josh kind of gave up that evening...he didn't want to eat anything, and he went and dragged his blanket into the dining room, laid down on it, adn fell asleep. He still has his bib on.
I forgot to mention that after his nap, he threw up like 4 or 5 times. Not a fun first day...
Back at Carla/Jim's house, and Josh discovers the toys they have bought/pulled out and cleaned up for him...he had so much fun! (So did Nana!)
Home at last! Very tired Josh protesting another picture...that stuff behind us is just the bags I brought...and doesn't give a really accurate idea of how much/big it was!
Josh being tired on the floor next to all our stuff in the baggage claim of IAH.
Pure joy!
Yummmm!!
Gettin' down to the last of it...
That was a LOT of watermelon (and yes, he ate it all himself!)!
Malcolm wants some watermelon, too. 
No, doggy, this is MINE!
Sad doggy
Magazine pose
Hmmm...this is pretty good!
Such a happy boy!
Pretty smile
The first bite
Grandmom handing Josh his first big slice of watermelon
Is this where I bite it???
Ooohhhhh, now I get it! I bite the juicy, sweet, red part, not the hard green part!
YUM!
Such yummy watermelon!
