14 hours is not enough sleep ~ Kim's Version

is not enough.

Kris and I woke up Wednesday morning around 9am.
Kate arrived around 4pm. Mom and I went to pick her up.
We stayed up til 2am chatting online.
Mike and Gabe drove us to the Atlanta airport and played Owl City a large portion of the time. I'm convinced people only like Owl Soup because it sounds like video game music.
We got to our gate with no problem. The security miss was grouchy.
We laid around not really resting....then went to Burger King "Have it your way". I did not get my way. I wanted a whopper and they said only the yucky breakfast stuffs was being served.
Boarding the plane, we found our seats at the very far complete back. But the plane did not fill up. So we were allowed to move forward. I found us some nice comfortable looking seats together -exit seats.

"Excuse me, are any of you over 16? Because I'm afraid you can't sit here."
"Oh, I'm 18."
"I'm 21"
"I'm 23"
"Oh! Oh I'm sorry. You all look a bit underaged. I was just checking"

We didn't get the speech. hmph. So, Kris and I studied and studied the emergency card to make sure we got it right. "But nothing happened. What a waste of study." - Kris :P

In Detroit we walked as fast as possible to our gate and found it....closed. The flight had been canceled.
So we freaked out and called around and heard we might have to stay at the airport for 24 hours....and I freaked out some more. I HATE airports. And we only brought three packs of playing cards to pass the time. We had a little prayer meeting and begged God to help us out. Kate cried. I shed two tears in the privacy of the bathroom to get the weight off my chest.
The airport personnel put us on standby for two different flights.
We didn't make it onto any of them.
Kate finally got us a flight to Philly and then Erie.
I was happy we didn't have to stay in Detroit.
I tried to steal somebody's seat because Kate said it was fine to do so. The disgruntled lady did not like her seat being taken. So I was stuck sitting next to a Jew who slightly resembled Daga. He was nervously studying for something and completely ignored me. I was fine with that. He smelled. And was on the way to being pudgy. ....He had a very thick Philly accent...

In Philadelphia, we happily waited for our flight.

"'scuse me ladies and gentlemen. The flight to Erie will be a bit late because the plane has been delayed in Roanoke due to mechanical issues"

ok, we're fine with that. We dozed a bit more.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the flight to Erie has been canceled"

We shot upright in horror.

Kate and I stood in a long line at the counter waiting for a solution to appear. The guy behind us was cussing up a storm. If he had a TVG hooked up to him, he mighta been rather funny. :P
The counter was closed before we got to it. So Kate and I ran to the opposite end of the airport to be second in line for help. I left Kate there and ran back for Kris, and we ran back to Kate toting all the luggage.
I called mom for my aunt's phone number and she came to get us. She lived just across the river in New Jersey, so twas all well and good.
While waiting, Kate called several friends. Most offered sympathy. One laughed. Guess who that was. :cough:

When we got to my aunt's house, her dogs were rather excited to see us.
We took off our coats and shoes.
I stepped in something wet on the floor.
I threw away my socks.

Friday morning, my aunt gave us a quick tour around her town and we went to the haunted prison. Many pictures were taken.
My cousin took us to the airport and gave us his number in case our flight was canceled again. Fortunately it was not. But I did not trust them. While standing in line, I kept waiting to hear the cancellation announcement. When we reached the ticket counter, I waited to hear her tell us the plane was too full. We got inside the plane and I found where I was supposed to sit. ...and there was a very....big person. Taking up both seats.
I was so tired, and I just knew something else had gone wrong. He looked up at me with a pleasant smile, and I asked

"Did you pay for both seats?"
"No. Are you sitting here?"
"Yes..." I stare at the 4 inches of space left...wondering how I'd fit in...
He tried to move over, then paused a moment:
"You have seat D? That's the window." He starts to get up and give me the inside seat.
Now I'm going to be squashed between him and the window? o_O
I replied "No, D is the aisle seat."
"D is the window"
"D is aisle"
"D is window" He looks up at the little seat pictures on the luggage compartments. "Oh! You're right." He sits back down.
Along comes Kris. "Scuse me sir, you have my seat"
He moved across the aisle, and poor Kate had to sit next to him. Fortunately she found someone interesting to converse with.

Arriving in Erie, we happily ran out to see who was waiting for us. Nobody was there. gah! Did they forget? Could no one come? Must we stay longer at these horrible torture houses called airports? Kate calls Mark....and in through the door marches Mark, Chad, and Susan! Hurrahness! Then comes Katie and Matt. Kate went home with the Hughes, while Mark toured Erie and got us lost looking for a Walmart Supercenter. Chad found us.
We got what we needed and went home.
Happiness.
Pizza was for dinner.
More happiness.
Mark taught us how to play San Juan. Fun game.
We stayed up waiting for Carrie and the rest of the Orths to arrive. Storms were giving them annoyance.
They got in around 1:30am.
After talking, we went up to bed, and laughed a lot about....something... >_< and fell asleep.

Saturday there was a contest to see who could peel off the most aluminum off the candy wrappers of Mark's bonbons. Katie started it. Jake put the most effort into it. Mrs. Orth won. :P Everyone else just watched.

Off to the archery club where we met everyone else. Sledding was fun. A snowball war broke out several times. We played "Do You Love Your Neighbour" ^_^. Dancing was fun. Food was good. I had a bad headache all day. During the fourth round of the Virginia Reel, I felt like I was going to pass out.
Back at the house......I forget what we did. :P

Sunday we had church meeting at the archery range. Then we went ice-skating. Everyone was impressed with my marvelous ice-skating and falling skills.
We went back to the archery club and talked, and played, and danced some more. And ate. Eating is good.
Some people played their instruments. Was fun to listen to. One girl had a squeezebox. Vera cool.

Back at the house, we gave Mark his birthday presents. He liked them all.
Chad had to teach us to play Rook because the instructions were all wrong. :P
We played another game of San Juan.
I decided to try coffee for the first time. Kris joined me.
Mark and Carrie watched expectantly.
It was black. It was hot. It tasted like dirt.
I only drank about 1/4 of a cup. I do not like the feeling it gives. Tired, yet awake. There was something else, but I couldn't put my finger on it. It concerned me enough that I don't think I will try coffee again.
I stayed up til around 3:30am. Kinda joined in a debate. Got really mad and said something stupid, so I went to bed.

Bad night of sleep. Kept waking up every half hour. Woke early. Got a shower. Packed.
We played spoons.
Then I found out I had an 45 minutes before we had to leave, so we were happy.
Then some mindgames/jokes told. Kris and I knew them all. :P
Goodbyes came.
Mark, Kayla, and Carrie accompanied us to the airport. Not too much was said.
At the airport it was discovered that Kate had left her license and snow pants back at the house. So we sat around waiting for Matt to run them over. We talked.
Goodbye was said again.
We left.
Our seats on the plane were at the very front. Fun.

In Detroit, we picked up some lunch at McDonald's. They accidentally threw in an extra hamburger. :D
We just barely made it to our gate in time. They were already loading.
On the way, a little chinese boy (about 5yo)started crying and screaming. He had a bloody nose and was coughing up blood. The captain called out for anybody with medical experience to please help out.
Four dentists appeared. :P
j/k
There were three doctors that helped out.
When we landed in Atlanta, they rushed the family out first.
We took a bus to Columbus.
The driver scared us at first, telling us we had to get off if we had no tickets. :shakes head:
Two old women, and one man were our only fellow passengers. No military dudes to flirt with. How disappointing.

Mom picked us up. We went and got some milk and pizza, and went home.
Kate's mom and grandma came and got her.
I narrated the flight tales to the family.
Kris and I demonstrated in-line dancing. :P
And then we went to bed.