Our U.S. adventure did not get off to a great start. We each had a small, pre-packaged pan au chocolat before leaving for airport. Our plan was to check in around 8am and then have breakfast. But we were stuck in the check-in line at American Airlines for nearly an hour, thanks in part to an amateur American family who were blocking up one luggage check-in spot because they had too much stuff. Seriously, they spent 30 minutes (if not more) shuffling stuff from one suitcase to another in order to get them all under 21kg per suitcase. Ugh! The girls were hungry and not amused. So instead of a leisurely sit-down breakfast, we grab a bunch of pastries and a couple of smoothies (which cost the same as the family breakfast plan) and rush off to clear U.S. customs and immigration. Then, of course, our flight is late boarding so we sit around the terminal for 30 minutes.
FABJ was on pins and needles for much of the flight, requiring frequent negotiation from LBJ to avoid a meltdown. I seem to get the hiccups every hour. ORBJ had a good flight, though. Then, we wait for our friend TK to pick us up at the airport because I forgot about using the international dialing code for text messages, so TK never got my message. LBJ figures out my mistake, and soon we are greeted by our gracious and generous hosts in Chicago.
We have a pretty lazy two days where we hang out with our friends and attempt to overcome jet lag. And we eat and drink well. TK and I, in addition to being roommates for a year in Evanston, have very similar tastes and food and drinks. Our wives roll their eyes at us, but I suspect that they are pleased that we get this opportunities to share our mutual interests.
The kids enjoy playing together, and we are ready for visiting my family in Iowa.
The drive to Iowa goes pretty well, actually. LBJ tries a positive incentive scheme, offering them each a small gift (fuzzy animal inside its own purse) if they behave during the entire trip to Iowa (5 full days). We didn't expect them to behave the entire time, but we were hoping for an extra day or two of good behavior...
FABJ was on pins and needles for much of the flight, requiring frequent negotiation from LBJ to avoid a meltdown. I seem to get the hiccups every hour. ORBJ had a good flight, though. Then, we wait for our friend TK to pick us up at the airport because I forgot about using the international dialing code for text messages, so TK never got my message. LBJ figures out my mistake, and soon we are greeted by our gracious and generous hosts in Chicago.
We have a pretty lazy two days where we hang out with our friends and attempt to overcome jet lag. And we eat and drink well. TK and I, in addition to being roommates for a year in Evanston, have very similar tastes and food and drinks. Our wives roll their eyes at us, but I suspect that they are pleased that we get this opportunities to share our mutual interests.
The kids enjoy playing together, and we are ready for visiting my family in Iowa.
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| Just another summer afternoon in Chicagoland |
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