Lasting impressions

Well, we had a wonderful time in Texas - but it was very nice to get home on Saturday. Well it was actually extrememly early Sunday, but I will expound upon that more later. The in-laws (both MIL/FIL, and SIS/BIL) saw too it that we were never bored or for want in something to do. I was able to swim some everyday, and the kids had things to do everyday. On our last night in town my brother-in-law (wife's sister's husband) took us to P.F. Chang's. I will never fully enjoy chinese food again. It just cannot possibly measure up to that wonderful meal. It was just awesome. The lettuce wraps, the red hot dumplings, mongolian beef... and oh so much more. Simply wonderful. The only meal that will be better is the wedding feast in heaven with my Lord. If there is one near you I highly, HIGHLY, recommend taking an evening to enjoy this resteraunt. There were slight tensions - to put it delicately - among the family. I will not expound upon that here, but I am always greatful to get home. And I know that I contribute to the tension as much as the next guy so I am not saying that I am not to blame in any of it. Now to my "lingering memory" to which I referred to above. We flew out of Dallas Saturday evening. We arrived for our flight over 2 hours early to ensure we had time to get through security and get dinner since flights are no longer serving meals, and anyone knows who travel with children - eating is very important. :) We checked the departure gate the night before, and when we checked in - it had not changed. When we finally get out of the resteraunt it had moved, not just one or two gates over, but to literally the otherside of the airport. We made the gate in plenty of time to board though. Then, while we are sitting in our seats the air crew makes an announcement that they would like the passangers to take their seats quickly as they would like to pull away from the gate in order to take off before a local thunderstorm grounded us. I am already preparing myself for the other end of this flight - some of you readers may already suspect what is going to happen. We land in Baltimore - on time I would like to add - and proceed to the baggage claim. It is now about 11 o'clock in the evening. There are 3 flights all vying for the conveyor belt... 15 minutes goes by and luggage is still coming out. 30 minutes later the conveyor belt still has luggage, but the crowd is noticably thinner, and then there is no new pieces of luggage arriving. I watch it go around 3 more times to make sure I am not missing anything... none of our luggage has made it to our destination. And this is where it gets "memorable"... I proceed to the baggage claim to file the lost luggage thing. I inform them that one piece of luggage is my child's car seat - which is required by law that I use when I drive with her in the vehicle. I am offered a booster seat, which she is too small for, and some other type of car seat which I am told "I am not even sure it is legal". Ok, now I am essentially stuck at the airport since I can no longer transport my child. I ask about options - I am given the following: 1) Rent a car seat from somewhere and I will be reimbursed. The only thing in an airport that I could possibly do this is a car rental place - all of which were closed by this time (after midnight). 2) I could buy a new car seat and I would be reimbursed. I have no way to get to a place to buy a car seat since I am at an airport an in order to get to a 24 hour place I would need to drive. 3) Wait until one of the two next flights arrives and see if the luggage is on one of them. I ask about the possibility of being put up in a hotel for the night to which I was told that they would not do this since it was weather related and not mechanical. At one point an airline employee actually told me, "what do you want us to do about it? We don't control the weather." I almost lost it... actually I did start to, but God in His mercy had my cell phone disconnect the call before I really got going. Now from my perspective the following things conspired to cause this issue: 1) Someone - most likely a human - moved the departure gate less than an hour before the flight was scheduled to leave. 2) While loading the plane someone made the decision to leave before it was fully loaded. 3) There was a sticking error in the buggage claim area where they had inadequete car seats. There was more, but I don't want to rant too much more. The long and the short of it, the airline made me feel like they did not care about my plight with having 3 small children in an airport many, many miles form home at 3 AM. I will have severe reservations of flying with this airline in the future. Please do not let this little tirade give the impression of it ruining my vacation. It was merely a speedbump in it all. Overall we had a great time and I am glad to be back to work so that I can try and catch up on some rest. :) Verse for today: Psalm 126, esv When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb! Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.