a sad story...with a happy ending

I really wanted to start telling you all about our trip to San Francisco today!!!

But instead I have to tell you the saddest story in the world first.

The other night, after I wrote my last post about packing and leaving my friend, the four of us, Lauren (my friend) and our husbands started talking about all the  money we spent during our time together. We were laughing about it, but I think sitting around justifying all the fun we had together which was A LOT made us all feel better. Let me clarify....

We had A LOT of fun and spent A LOT of money.

It's okay. Sometime life calls for you to act like a total baller. Whatever.

Anyways we had SO much fun in fact that we had to borrow a third suit case to bring home all of our "fun"

i.e. WINE from NAPA

Well on Monday morning we got to the SFO airport plenty early. 2 hours and 15 minutes early in fact. But because of this freaking ridiculous weather, Chicago Midway Airport was closed. We were flying to Milwaukee but I guess 90 percent of people were flying to Chicago because the line to check our bags took us...WAIT FOR IT...I KID YOU NOT! two hours exactly to get through.

We had about ten minutes exactly to get through security and to our gate.

Throw in the fact that we had yet to eat anything that day, and our flight had one stop which we were not allowed to get off the plane for----so we would be flying for 6 hours, eating only miniature bags of peanuts. I thought I might die if I didn't get a real sandwich.

Turns out we made it to the gate in time and had about 60 seconds for the coffee place next to the gate to ring up our 30 dollar sandwich lunch (mind as well go out with a BANG! huh?)

So we get home to Milwaukee around 10:45. My dad is there to pick us up and the three of us chit chat while the luggage comes around. I needed to tell my dad every detail of the trip because the anxiety I get from watching the luggage go around is insane. If I don't have to I absolutely will never check baggage.

Well low and behold, Jake's bag comes up...then mine... but NO borrowed suitcase. The freaking baggage belt stops. People melt away and the three of us are just standing there. I can feel the tears start. The borrowed suitcase was by far the most expensive. Between the wine and souvenirs in there it was a lot. HUNDREDS a lot.

So I start crying...
I have had one lousy sandwich to eat.
I am so tired.
I probably have exactly twenty two dollars in my bank account till Friday.
It is almost mid-night and my dad has to work tomorrow. Major guilt. 
I have to work tomorrow. Major bummer. 
And I probably just lost a buncha money.

It was then that I realize the immense amount of luggage all over the place, unclaimed. Obviously something was going wrong because I have never seen an airport baggage claim look like this.

I stand in another line (probably the 5th line of the day) for another 20 minutes only for the lady to give me a phone number to call in the morning.

I was so pissed when I left the airport that I didn't even realize that it was -35 degrees. Legit, it was -35 degrees One day my children will ask me how -35 degrees felt and I will have to tell them I was too busy crying over wine and making bad financial decisions to remember. 

So anyways I call the number the next morning at work, while I have pens holding my eyelids open and I am stalking the airline website looking for some more information, while on hold....WHEN I flippin' read that in order to have a lost luggage claim you need to make that claim IN THE OFFICE AT THE AIRPORT with in four hours of your flight landing. THE EXACT OFFICE I WAS AT when the lazy lady gave me a phone number.

Oh boy. I knew I felt bad in that very moment for the sweet individual who answered the phone.
Turns out being nice helps you a whole lot in life so I sucked up every ounce of anger I had and the person helped me. She told me they were really sorry we didn't receive more help the night before and did what they could to make me feel better.

Well after a few more calls and leaving a few more messages. I got this text from my husband today.

There is a bit more to that story but because the nice people at this airlines did find my bag I would like to refrain from totally throwing them under the bus.

I will say I learned three life lessons.

1. Spend money. Live it up, but maybe stop when you have had 5 glasses of wine.
2. Get to the airport early. I may be at the airport three hours ahead of time now. Also pack snacks. Lots of snacks. Maybe even a gourmet meal if you can when traveling.
3. Try being kind before being demanding, mean, or rude if you are frustrated or angry with service. I know I got 100 percent better help because I was nice to the first person on the phone. This is so hard to do. I need to remember this.

ANYWAYS! more happy stories to come about the trip. But I want to say a quick Happy Birthday to the sweet guy who decided he would live with me the rest of his life and try to enjoy it. I think he is a major stud and I love him a lot. Happy Birthday Jake!!! :)