the blue blog archives: oh what a flight

We woke up at the crack of dawn to catch our flight. The in-laws don't really live that close to the airport, so a 10:30 flight very quickly converts into a 5am wake-up time. Ugh.

That one red suitcase, by the way, was inspected very carefully at check-in. Last year the security folks picked out the boys' suitcase with the music box from their baby mobile in it to inspect. The music box did kind of look like a bomb in the x-ray machine, I'll give them that. They summoned someone who rode over to the check-in area on a cute little yellow bike and ran what looked like a mini-dust buster over it and then rode off again to get the results. It was some sort of machine that could tell whether the "device" had been tampered with or something like that. Of course, hubby's opened up that music box about five times to resolder the electronics in it, because the buttons have been pressed so many times in the last four and a half years that they keep breaking. So I was, needless to say, a little worried. But after about ten minutes they decided that it was okay and let me check in. This year they chose the suitcase filled with my socks, hubby's half-knit LMKG zip raglan sweater, and german boardgames for the kids. They called in the bike-person again and she wiped down the outside of the game boxes and rode off to get the test results. My mother-in-law said it looked like a test for illegal drugs. Illegal drugs in the Junior Labyrinth game, right, of course. After ten minutes they ran the suitcase through the x-ray again and declared it to be okay. Yes, I really am just into boardgames, thank you.

But it was all made up for when they told us we had a window seat. The boys were so thrilled they even translated for Oma so she could comprehend the awesomeness of the situation: "a fensterplatz!" And lookie, we got one of the WM-Deutschland planes with the soccer ball on the nose!

While we were waiting at the gate, I noticed that a man standing behind me was wearing, get this, a gold medal from Turino! How cool is that? It was for Men's Hockey and after searching a bit on the internet, I found out he must have been this guy from the Swedish Hockey team who plays for the Boston Bruins. And that medal was gorgeous. I remember there was some sort of uproar about the medals having a hole in them this time around, but let me tell you, it was impressive. Wow!

The boys played quite well on the plane and I made some progress on my second pair of Canadian Colors socks. (Regia Canadian Classic Colors #4741 "Brasil Color". Nah, it doesn't remind me of Brazil any more than the other reminded me of Toronto. And what does Brazil have to do with Canada anyway?)

Eventually, the boys fell asleep and I got to watch the movie (Elizabethtown - not very good, but Orlando Bloom is worth watching no matter what) and knit quietly. I overheard the couple in front of me telling their seat neighbor about their baby. You could tell there was something special about them. The baby was a typical 4 or 5 month old, who cried when you would expect and had to be carried around most of flight. But there wasn't one second of that nine hour period in the airplane when those parents didn't seem absolutely 100% in love with that baby. No exhausted looks or frazzled nerves. Nothing but pure joy. Then I overheard the word "adoption" and they explained that as soon as the airplane touched down in Boston, the baby would become an American citizen. When we landed they all clapped and I have to say, I got a little choked up.

posted by alison at 10:00 am | in socknut , vacation 2006

Comments

I'm glad you're home safe. And the adopted baby story gave me goose bumps. How cool to witness that.

Posted by: Carole at March 1, 2006 10:14 AM

my nephew is adopted and i just got a tear reading that post....
i am AMAZED at how fast you knit..

Posted by: ann-marie at March 1, 2006 10:17 AM

great travel log! thanks for sharing and welcome home!

Posted by: ilikeredbean at March 1, 2006 10:28 AM

Reading your telling of the adopted baby story got me all choked up! Makes me appreciate my kids all the more. Seeing your 2 very well behaved boys enjoying their exciting plane adventure makes me want to rush to the nearest travel agent and book a flight anywhere to give my 4 1/2 year old son (and 9 yr old daughter) an adventure! I've only taken them on a plane once 2 1/2 yrs ago and it was a little stressful. Now it would just be really fun!

Posted by: Sharon at March 1, 2006 10:33 AM

i'm really surprised to see your sock knitting stuff on that foto: no knitting needles or crochet hooks are allowed on planes here in europe... did you ask if it's ok to take them on borad? or didn't hey asked you if you were carrying needles on board???
ha!!! good girl..you did hide the drugs propperly...or isn't yarn a drug???

Posted by: Sabine at March 1, 2006 10:37 AM

Aw, welcome home to all of you. Sounds like an amazing flight all around :-)

Posted by: Kathy at March 1, 2006 10:37 AM

What a memorable trip for so many reasons! Glad to hear that you and the boys made it home safely.

Posted by: Jan at March 1, 2006 10:38 AM

Aw crap. Now I'm crying too! :-) Sounds like you had a wonderful trip and WOW! Gold medals and soccer balls on the plane! Way to end on a high note!

Posted by: Cara at March 1, 2006 10:38 AM

Alison, I love, love, love, your posts. You got me a little choked up too. Thank you.

Posted by: betty at March 1, 2006 10:42 AM

damn, that actually brought tears to my eyes. where's the chocolate?

what a great trip for you! it must be nice to have family overseas and it's great to hear that the boys get a chance to see other places and hear other languages at an early age. i wish i had had such an opportunity.

Posted by: gleek at March 1, 2006 10:44 AM

We (me and Tech Guy 2) are so glad you're back! Sounds like a great trip and a fun flight. Welcome back!

(Oh, and the mini-dust buster and the wipe down? Almost certainly testing for explosives.)

Posted by: shannon at March 1, 2006 10:48 AM

Hello Alison, glad to here you are safe at home. Sounds exhausting to me. Sad, that we didnt manage to meet.
The Baby story reminds me, that we have to travel in august with a 4 month old ( and sure the than three yearold) to the US and I am really afraid of that. Two kids and a a long flight.
But when you can go alone with the twins we will manage that.
Sibylle

Posted by: Sibylle at March 1, 2006 10:50 AM

What an all around great post, Alison. It just made me smile for so many reasons. Glad you're back.

Posted by: Amanda at March 1, 2006 10:50 AM

You make it look so easy! The sat, they looks out the window, they colored, they slept. Its beautiful.

Mine spend long flights fighting, kicking seats (STOP THAT NOW!!!), and going to the bathroom over and over. Its an exercise in mental endurance.

That which does not kill you....

Posted by: suzanne at March 1, 2006 10:53 AM

Aww, what great stories. Did you tell the Hockey Player about the Knitting Olympics???

Posted by: Danielle at March 1, 2006 10:57 AM

What a great story. :) And I suppose, if I had just won a gold medal, I wouldn't take it off either. I mean, it's AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL! Who's going to say "Isn't it time? It's been four months..."

Posted by: Donna at March 1, 2006 10:58 AM

I wanted to clap at the end of the story for the baby too, of course with a chocked up feeling in my throat.
Great story! Glad you made it home safe!!

Posted by: Kate at March 1, 2006 11:03 AM

That is such a sweet story! I have dreams of adopting someday, even if I don't "need" to. Glad you had a good flight :)

Posted by: Vicki at March 1, 2006 11:12 AM

Glad to hear that you and the boys made it back safe and sound. Welcome home!

Posted by: knittingnurse at March 1, 2006 11:22 AM

Good lord that adoption bit was completely thrilling. I hope that is me someday, and how wonderful that you got to be a little part of their experience too. Fantastic. Now where are my tissues?

Posted by: Carrie at March 1, 2006 11:31 AM

Welcome home! I've loved reading all about your vacation. Do you and the boys speak German?

What a wonderful story about the couple in front of you. So sweet!

Posted by: Heather at March 1, 2006 11:35 AM

Welcome home, Alison! Glad you guys had a fun trip!

Posted by: Jenn at March 1, 2006 11:44 AM

I got choked up reading about it. Glad you are home safely.

Posted by: Kristin at March 1, 2006 12:14 PM

I'm confused about the mobile. You said last year it was inspected but that you've had it for 4.5 years. Does it travel with you? How cool that your husband can go inside and fix it! In so many houses it would just be thrown away.

Posted by: Alison at March 1, 2006 12:28 PM

You're allowed to knit on the plane?? Okay...I really have to make some enquiries in the next few days since I'm flying back home to Thailand in a bit more than a week....and I'd die not being able to knit during that 13 hours flight!

Posted by: Elemmaciltur at March 1, 2006 1:00 PM

I love the nose cone on that plane. Too cute. :-)

Posted by: Beth S. at March 1, 2006 1:13 PM

Welcome home Allison

You are a star - you make travelling with twins sound like a breeze :)

Posted by: Lyn at March 1, 2006 1:27 PM

Oh I fly home to Boston once a year and know all about those 9-hour flights. Sounds like a good one! What kind of needles where you able to fly with? I have yet to bring mine, fearing someone would take them along the way. Good to hear you're home safe.

Posted by: kimberly at March 1, 2006 1:41 PM

I love that you saw a real gold medal! It is cool.

Posted by: jess at March 1, 2006 1:59 PM

Oooh, cooool, you got to see "Pebben", and his gold medal, for real!!

Posted by: AnnaA at March 1, 2006 2:01 PM

I got a little choked up too! What a lovely story. Glad you and the guys are home safe and sound too.

Posted by: Ann at March 1, 2006 2:26 PM

What a wonderful story -- you made me cry. Not that it takes much these days. And those boys of yours are so precious. I just love reading about them and seeing them grow before my eyes. They are so cute!

Posted by: Kristy at March 1, 2006 3:04 PM

*sniff*...looking for my box of kleenex...

Posted by: katie at March 1, 2006 3:06 PM

Glad you made it back without incident! Our flight was pretty much problemlos as well. i couldn't believe how many families were flying, both there and back! There were three babies in our row, all around the age of 1-2 years, including ours. Oh, and I hope our boy flies as well as yours do, when he's that age. It would be great for him to entertain himself a little bit!

Posted by: Sara L. at March 1, 2006 3:12 PM

Combining Bruins hockey and knitting, two of my favorite things, in one post. How totally wicked awesome is that.

Posted by: gayle at March 1, 2006 3:15 PM

What great pic's the boys looked so peaceful having a little nap :) Glad you had a good trip - the adoption story was wonderful!

Posted by: Cathy at March 1, 2006 3:25 PM

The adoption story brought a tear to my eye. And I'm not normally a sap. lol.

Flying with kids can be such a crapshoot. Mine have generally been wonderful, but we're doing it again in June with all four kids. I hope they do as well as you boys did!

Posted by: Lara at March 1, 2006 3:33 PM

Wrote the Munich Airport and asked....

Nope, no pointy sticks allowed on the plane for me. Not even bamboo ones. *sobs, sobs* 13 long hours without any knitting....That's like going cold-turkey! *sobs*

Posted by: Elemmaciltur at March 1, 2006 4:14 PM

How cool to see a gold medal up close and personal! I heard that the hole in the medals was because they were supposed to look like an Italian piazza (?) -- you know, those round public areas in Italian towns....

I think when security wipes down the inside/outside of your suitcase and puts the little wipey thing in machine to analyze it, they're looking for explosives. At least that's what they told me at the airport....

Posted by: Mary at March 1, 2006 4:21 PM

Glad you are back safe and sound! You have such awsome boys!!
Hey.. my knitted medal has a hole in the middle!!hehehe I had a little fun while you were gone!

Elemmaciltur...USE PENCILS!!!

Posted by: Denise at March 1, 2006 4:34 PM

touching story... welcome back, Alison!

Posted by: Erica at March 1, 2006 4:38 PM

Wow, shocking to hear that you can't have knitting needles, Sybille and Elemmacitur! It's been approved on the US Travel list for a while now. I didn't even bother to ask when flying to or from Germany and no one has ever stopped me at security. So far, I've had plastic dpn's with me and plastic/nickel and bamboo circulars, just because that's what I was using at the time. I never bring any scissors or other knitting tools though. I brought dental floss this time so I could use the little hook for cutting the yarn and it worked fine.

Posted by: alison at March 1, 2006 4:49 PM

I am adopting and someone linked me to this blog...I actually got tears in my eyes...I hope that is me soon!

Posted by: Jessi at March 1, 2006 4:53 PM

Welcome home!

Posted by: Scout at March 1, 2006 5:37 PM

welcome home to you, your boys and the new little American.. thank you for sharing that

Posted by: rebecca at March 1, 2006 6:12 PM

Alison, that was a wonderful trip for you and the boys i bet! that story about the adoptive parents touched my heart too and makes me appreciate Kori even more.. viel schpaess unpacking :-) karola

Posted by: Karola at March 1, 2006 7:05 PM

Fensterplatz! That is exciting--though two boys and ein fenster make a need for the mommy UN! Welcome home.

P.s. if the hockey guy was as cute as his picture and if that yearly salary is accurate, I'd have sidled over his way for a bit of chitchat...:)

Posted by: Silvia at March 1, 2006 7:50 PM

Silvia, he was even better looking in person! ;0)

Posted by: alison at March 1, 2006 7:56 PM

Gotta love those German boardgames, I especially like the Labyrinth ones. :) I wonder what the European rules for knitting needles are, I never had any problems with them going in and out of Iceland. Maybe they are carrier-specific?

Posted by: Rebecca at March 1, 2006 9:31 PM

Welcome home! We missed you! What, no yarn shopping since you've been home?

That adoption story was the best thing ever! What an awesome feeling that must be, how great to have a little itty bitty share of it!

Posted by: Johanna at March 1, 2006 9:55 PM

Welcome home... I loved following your vacation online!!

Posted by: mama-e at March 2, 2006 8:15 AM

What a sweet post. What I wouldn't give to have bi-lingual opportunities for my boys!

I've yet to reach the 'play and then sleep' phase with my boys on planes.

Posted by: Pip at March 2, 2006 1:06 PM

Oh, what a tearjerking story!
Hubby's from Toronto, and the socks don't make me think of Toronto either. Pretty colorway, though!

Posted by: Wendi at March 2, 2006 3:10 PM

awww what a sweet picture, those blankies must be such knitting gratification.

Posted by: Orli at March 3, 2006 11:29 AM