Mama said there'd be days like this

Okay, I still didn't fly out.

This morning my day began at 6:00 AM, when I got up and get ready once again for a flight I wouldn't be on. After leaving at 7:45 am, we drove two hours in traffic (at least it was less than yesterday), and I managed to get in line at 9:45 am, like they told me to yesterday. The idea: be the first one on the waiting list/standby for the 1:30 pm flight.

It was quite a rigamarole getting checked in with my excess baggage (which I had to pay for), but finally I had a blank boarding pass and could go upstairs to the gate. I sat up there until 12:45 pm when the flight began to board, hoping and praying that there would be an open seat. However, the flight was actually overbooked as it was, and some people even were asked to give up their seat on today's flight for tomorrow. I stood there until the very last person got on the plane and it was sure that I would not make it.

When I went back downstairs, I met David, who had been working in the downstairs departure area on his laptop all day, just waiting to find out what would happen. We went and stood in line at the US Airways desk again to figure out what to do next.

Major problems: the only flight they could actually confirm me on is on Monday! And I had to pay 830 dollars more! And I had to go reclaim my luggage, which had been sitting outside in the rain storm for hours, so everything was soaking wet. I was crying again, and poor David had to fight yet another two hours of traffic before we got home at 5:00 pm.

So, since I got home, I have unpacked all my bags, run most of the clothes through the dryer, and I am slowly reorganizing everything.

Some things to praise the Lord for: thanks the ladies in my church, I had a bunch of large plastic Ziploc bags and when I was packing, I thought: I might as well use these to protect things in case my shampoo spills, etc. So nearly all of my important photos etc. were in plastic bags and therefore protected. Only a couple of things have been ruined in the wet luggage, and they weren't irreplaceable! I also praise the Lord that Phyllis and David leave here and are so gracious to allow me to stay with them. I can't imagine going through this headache/heartache if I was having to stay in a hotel in Paris. And, everyone who works for US Airways could not have been kinder or more sypathetic over the last few days. God is gracious.

Comments

Dad said…
does your cell phone still work?
4:14 PM
Anonymous said…
i pray for you, ariel. on peut te contacter par telephone? courage, tu n'es pas seule. bisous
5:21 PM
Ariel Rainey said…
no, sorry, the cell phone contract is now cancelled.

33-1-39-56-27-30 is the phone number here, if you need it.
1:11 PM
momabeam said…
I was driving to church this a.m., and I was "talking"at/to God about you- and this is what I heard. God never does anything that causes us pain w/o a really good reason- we might or might not see that reason- maybe somebody else was praying to get on that flight and needed that seat really bad, or maybe there is someone who needs to meet you on the Monday flight. I know its hard to accept, and I know you've been thru alot, but God really is control. You are truly superwoman and you can do this- its almost over, so hang in there and know that we are all praying for you.
8:31 PM
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