A confession to make....

I cried. Yup, I really did. And I thought for sure I'd be brave. I was ok for the flight down, if you can call not moving, knuckles gone white from clenching the side of the chair a normal reaction.

On the way back, we got into the big plane. And about an hour into the flight the turbulence hit. It wasn't HORRIBLE, now that I reflect back on it. But there were enough bumps to cause me to lose it. The pilot said we'd have several times where we might hit turbulence, and I kept listening for any sound that the plane made that wasn't normal. From creaks to grinds, to roaring to whistling. It was all there, but apparently NORMAL. Jose laughed at me. Until I told him he'd be driving a rental car home to Maine from Detroit if he kept it up. Deja, my 6 yr old held my hand and said "Don't cry, Mommy. It's ok." and seemed happy with all the ups and downs. I finally had to close my eyes when they hit, and imagine my husband driving his Rodeo on a dirt road, and the bumps I was feeling were from him hitting some potholes.

But then, due to nerves and the 20 oz. Diet Coke I'd finished at the airport-the inevitable happened. I had to go to the bathroom. Now on the way down, I did not move. Literally. After asking Jose at least a hundred times (well, not that much... but close) what the time was and calculating that I still had two hours to go, I realized my bladder was not going to make it. Now I could have gone and left a puddle on the floor. But I doubt the stewardesses would like that. So I had to make the difficult choice to stand up (in turbulence, no less) and go to the bathroom. I literally have watched too many scary movies-at takeoff, I think I am in the plane from Final Destination and during flight I am thinking I am in the plane in Flight of the Dead (zombie movie on a plane FYI). Now here I was going to the bathroom-a small, cramped area where I am thinking the dead are going to come up thru the floor and grab me. As I search the area for signs of zombie activity, I hit my elbow-hard-on the sink as I am bumped around in turbulence. I have never been in the bathroom on a plane. I don't know what this fascination about the mile high club is-but I can tell you I will never be a member. I can barely fit my own a$$ on the toilet without having to worry about someone else in there. Flushing was another nerve wracking experience. The loud sucking sound seemed to go on forever, and I had visions of being sucked down thru that toilet into the abyss. Let me tell you, I got the hell out of there without even washing my hands.

The flight in Detroit was in the evening, and somehow, I did a little better. I think it is because I can actually look out the window and not freak out, seeing how high up we are. I was fascinated by the lights, and this smaller plane flew at a lower altitude as well. Jose was relieved he did NOT have to drive home from Detroit. And my coworkers were relieved too-since we had gotten behind on our work due to my being out. So I have learned a few things from my flight: 1. My 6 yr old is braver than I am when flying.

2. Night flights are better for me due to not being able to see outdoors that well.

3. The evil dead will NOT pop out from behind the bathroom cupboards or through the floorboards and if I don't dream something horrible is going to happen before the flight, remember it during the flight AND see the grim reaper, then I don't have to worry about reaching my final destination. (at least not yet!)

4. Just in case, hubby had better have access to a rental car, Amtrak, or ground transportation. Because if anything in #3 above comes true, you can bet I will be traveling by land!