Leavin' on a Jet Plane

Finland journal--Part 1
Wednesday Sept 15
I managed to get packed, my tomatoes froze, & my mind wrapped around the idea that I really did not have to do all the misc things that were needing done at home.  My mom is there caring for the two youngest (the two older M & M's are with their older sister)
I know mom is capable of folding the clean clothes, emptying the dishwasher, sweeping the floor....I really did walk out of the house on my own, and did not have to be carried, kicking or screaming.  That is not to say that I wasn't a total wreck of nerves.  I was!

We left home at 6:30 in the a.m. to Omaha where I flew out of at 10, arriving in Chicago around noon.
I was so pleased to have Rob (Ruth's husband) meet me when I got off the plane.  I would have hated to try to make my way around that airport alone.  We went down to the baggage claim area where Ruth was waiting for me.  My flight to Chicago was un-eventful, but my nerves from being away from home really did not calm down until I was with Ruth, and reality really set in!

We had several hours to wait until our plane loaded, direct from Chicago to Stockhom Sweden.  Although I have flown quite a few times, and on different airlines, but I have never been on a plane of that size!
It had 3"rooms" and the area we were in two seats on each side of the plane, then a row of 4 across the middle where our seats were.

Ruth and I in the airport in Chicago

Ruth and her husband Rob--and a HUGE thanks again to him for "letting" his wife travel with me!!

The Airplane we flew on

Inside--in the area we were sitting in

Ruth at our seats

Me at our seats

I had very little sleep on Tuesday night at home before I left.  I still had things to do to get ready, so didn't get to bed until quite late, but then it was storming out and I couldn't sleep well.  I probably barely got 2 hours.  Not so great I know....but that's the way it was.  I napped some from Omaha to Chicago.

We finally took off from the ground about 5 p.m. in Chicago, and it was scheduled to be a 8 hour flight.

After a good supper that was served us, along with drinks & doing some reading & snacks, we did try to sleep.  It of course was rather crowded & certinally not very conducive to resting (lights, talking & small space) I probably managed another 2 hours of snoozing off and on.

It was about 11 p.m. our time (6 a.m. current plane time) when the lights came on and it was announced that breakfast would be served soon.  There was sunlight starting to come in the plane windows, so I stretched, woke up, washed my face with the hot rags they passed out and convinced myself  "It's morning....Time to wake up"!

We enjoyed a small breakfast, hot tea, and a cup of strong coffee before preparing to land in Stockholm, and the excitement really starts!  We're ready to see Laura!