A Funny Thing Happened On My Way To Alaska

The last couple weeks before I left for Alaska I spent as much time as possible with my family and my best friend, and it honestly wasn't nearly enough to last me the whole summer, but I'm so glad I spent that much time with them even so. Saturday, May 5th my family and bestie all came up to see me off and we went to the Gateway mall to eat at California Pizza Kitchen and hang out before the airport. After we ate and it was time to go to the airport, I told my parents I was going to ride to the airport with Taylor and they looked like they were going to die... kind of funny...but hey, I needed one last moment with my bestie! So... funny thing, we get in the car and start driving just thinking we know where we're going...well, we got lost on our way to the airport. Then when we finally made it to the airport we took the wrong parking lane and then drove around in the outdoor extended stay parking lot for what seemed like an eternity, but we still had fun. Then we finally made it out of the lot and drove out the airport exit and clear back around into the correct parking. Well, my family is notorious for making relaxing situations really stressful...and they nearly made me late for my flight because they went to the drop-off/pick-up lane and then there was all this confusion with who was actually coming in to see me off and who was staying with the cars. Anyway, getting my ticket and checking my luggage was rough because my parents micromanage and flip out over everything (partly cuz they're old and crazy...love you mom and dad!), haha, and oh boy it just kept getting crazier by the minute! So I ended up stuffing things into another bag and rearranging some things so I would only have to check 2 bags instead of 3...well none of us were thinking clearly and completely spaced that my 3rd bag had all my big bottles of toiletry/hygiene supplies. *facepalm* So I get upstairs to go through security, and by that point I'm getting really frazzled and struggling to keep my mojo at the calm level I wanted it to be at all day, so when I hugged everyone goodbye I was starting to tear up, half because I was going to miss the crap out of everyone and half because I was stressed. So I'm going through security, and it all goes fine......until I get on the other side and they're like "um...you can't take these on the plane, so we'll escort you back to your family so you can give it to them and then you can go through the "express" security line"...so by that point I'm like sweating from stress and frustration and thinking I probably look suspicious to the airline people, so I'm freaking out about that too. So I get things all squared away with my parents and jump in the "express" line and I'm just so upset and totally done with the game and ready to be gone. Next thing I know, my parents are standing next to this lady who has a son in another security line that just happens to be going to Alaska, and just happens to be working for the same company, and just happens to be working on the trains. So they get my attention and the lady's son Steven's attention and introduce us to each other from a distance. By this point I just want to die. Not only had I just got done bickering with my parents about the luggage mishap and still look upset, but I'm all sweaty and tired, and totally not in any condition to be introduced to an attractive young man. Hahaha oh but it gets better yet...my parents somehow got his mom to tell him to look after me in AK...oh geez. OH, and I totally had to pee like niagra falls during all this, so I finally get through security for the SECOND time, and I race to the bathroom and then hurry to my gate which of course had to be one of the LAST and FARTHEST gates. So I get on the plane just in time as they're boarding the last people trickling in. I found my seat and there was a guy on the end of my row, so I sat in the window seat. He was very nice, and we did some talking here and there, and then this lady comes and is like "You're in MY seat." and she's super frazzled and breathing like she's about to have a heart attack or something. So the guy and I get up and let her sit down and then file back into our seats. I'm thinking this could be a pretty good flight, except that the whole 5 hours (the flight took longer than it was supposed to) the guy slept like 80% of the time and kept leaning/sliding into my seat, and the lady kept randomly complaining about things. Needless to say, it was a long flight. Oh, and I totally didn't notice, but that Steven kid totally sad behind me on the plane. Haha,I discovered that and his "assignment" when we saw each other the first day of training. Oh my life. Haha, nothing boring or subtle with me. :p And so began my Alaskan adventure...there is plenty more to come, I've just got to find the time to organize everything in my head and sit down and write it all. :)