Back to My Second Life...

Hey y'all!

I'm BACK!!!! Yup, it's true. I am back to my life as a Honduran after being home for just shy of 3 weeks. I was loving every minute of being home and having time with Matt and my family. Now, I am back to my second life down here, and it's the beginning of the end. This is my last 5 month stretch down here before I move back home.

For those of you who do not know, the three girls I lived with before Christmas are no longer down here, so I live at the house with a new couple. They are missionaries also, and they plan to be here a little over a year. They have been wonderful, and I look forward to getting to know them better.

So... Here's my latest adventure for those of you still interested in reading these updates:

It was a bright and snowy Indiana/Illinois day in the Midwest. Thursday, January 7, 2010... Flights are getting cancelled left and right, but my flight appeared to still be on time. Matt helped me drag all my luggage to the Continental counter where this lovely and super happy woman said, "Where are you going to?" I kindly replied, "Do you mean my next leg, or my final destination?" Without the smallest smile or hint of kindness, she repeated, "Where are you GOING to?" I am so glad that she clarified because I was really afraid I did not understand the question.....

Needless to say, I told her BOTH of my "destinations" so that she could do whatever she needed to do to give me my boarding passes. Well, without actually asking me, she told me that all the flights were delayed so she was changing me to the earliest flight that was supposed to leave at 1:50pm (but it was delayed until 3:30pm at this point). I asked how this would affect my connection in Houston, but she just told me that my flight from there was also delayed due to weather in Atlanta. Okay..... Good to know, I guess. Then, when she was finished, I almost didn't want to leave because of her overwhelming amount of cheeriness. *cough* Sarcasm! *cough*

Well, it was my parents, Matt, and me.... And we waited..... And waited..... And just for the heck of it, we decided to wait some more. We had left for the airport extra early so that we didn't have to worry about the weather. It was kind of strange because the screens with all the departures said that my original flight was still running on time, but the ever-so-kind woman at the counter told me that all the flights had been delayed. *shrugs* I didn't think much of it.

It finally came to the point where I had to say my final good-byes to my parents and Matt. It was EXTREMELY difficult because I was in tears, and my parents were also. I got up to security and went through everything okay. I got a pat down, and they rubbed these little towel thingies over my hands 2 different times on each hand. Apparently they didn't find my underwear bomb.... ;-) Just making sure you are paying attention.... Haha.

So, I went past the gate for my original flight (which STILL said it was running on time for the 3:05pm flight), and people were loading....... Now let me just say that the flight that I was now supposed to be on was delayed AGAIN until 4:05pm. I was starting to become a little nervous... I went up to the counter to ask about my Houston flight, and the woman told me that it was still scheduled as running "On Time" at 7pm (which the other woman had told me was DELAYED!!!), so I was only going to have a very short time to catch my connection. This woman also reprinted a boarding pass so that I could have the closest possible seat to the front of the plane. That was nice of her.

Unfortunately, my new flight didn't end up leaving until 4:30pm. It was an interesting flight (at least for the second half) because I was sitting next to this woman who just went through a breakup. For all those out there who need the solution, she would tell you it is a cocktail...... or 3. Phew. She was chatty for the rest of the flight. On the other hand, she asked about my mission and all that I was doing so it was a brief ministry opportunity, I guess you could say. She did compliment me (despite the excessive amount of alcohol and the numerous "F-bombs" that came out of her mouth) and say that she's never met anyone like me, and she thinks I am a wonderful person. Wow, I met all SORTS of people during this return trip.

Okay, so back to the time..... My flight is about to land in Houston at 6:55pm.... My flight OUT of Houston is supposed to leave at 7pm, and I have to run across 3/4 of the airport to catch it. Needless to say, I shoved my way through the First Class cabin (apologizing, but leaving numerous angry people in my wake) and down the little corridor to double check my gate for the San Pedro Sula flight. I could not afford any mistakes at this point. Sure enough, my gate had changed. This is when I met the most helpful woman of the night. She told me my new gate number and gave me the most ingenius advice I have ever heard. She said, and I quote, "Run."

Here I am, SPRINTING through the airport with a bag on each shoulder, panting like a dog in the summertime. Legs burning, heart pumping, breath wheezing..... I couldn't take anymore. I came to a complete halt in the middle of this hallway. At this point, a man drove up on one of those carts and I asked him if he could get me to my gate. It felt like he took a decade to answer, but he finally said, "Okay." So, I get to the gate, and the guy next to the closed door just shook his head and said, "It's already gone."

Wow.... I had so much emotion bottled up that I just burst into tears right in the middle of this airport where I was completely surrounded by people. The man just told me I had to go to Customer Service. I slowly made my way over, and found myself being told by this hard woman, who I could tell didn't want to be there, that I was going to have to wait for the 8:55am flight the next morning. 14 hours to wait for a flight..... What was I supposed to do? I was praying that I would make my flight so that I wouldn't have to spend the night in an airport, but for some reason, my prayers were left unanswered..... Or so I thought.

Suddenly, the phone rang, and the man at the gate for my flight said that they were holding the plane. I sprinted over, and they had to re-extend the little corridor out to reach the plane. The steward that met us at the plane door didn't sound too happy because he said that they now had to show the safety video all over again. Guess you can never be too safe, right?

All-in-all, I made it to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, CA by 10:30pm, only 35 minutes later than originally anticipated. I am grateful that I made it in one day, and I praise the Lord that He even went so far as to get my luggage here despite the fact that I almost missed my plane.

That is my miracle story and big adventure for the week.

Oh, and just so you all know...... I was kidding about the underwear bomb. ;-)