oh to be young again

24 turns 25

according to some fashion magazine i am no longer allowed to wear leggings.

and although i dont want to be older!...i felt very blessed and loved by all my family and friends yesterday.
thanks for being in my life!


I want to see miracles, see the world change
Wrestled the angel, for more than a name
For more than a feeling
For more than a cause
I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
And You're raising the dead in me
Twenty four voices
With twenty four hearts
With all of my symphonies
In twenty four parts.
I'm not copping out. Not copping out. Not copping out.
-switchfoot

passenger of the day

sometimes unaccompanied minors can be the most obnoxious kids ever. constantly pushing that stupid call button.
im thirsty. i have to go to the bathroom. are we there yet? what time is it? i have to go to the bathroom again.
but yesterday i had a little girl named emma who was age seven.
the cutest little girl. really shy. small with short brown hair. i walked her back to row nine. and she says excited "maybe another little girl will get to sit next to me!"
that would be perfect. but of course it was a grumpy old man.
she had good manners and just played with her stuffed animals. read a book.
she was nervous to use the restroom. and got a little lost going back to her seat :)
when we got to denver - i asked who she was visiting (assuming it was either her mom or dad). she said her dad and went on to explain that her parents are separated. i told her she was lucky to get to live in TWO places.
she wasn't sure but she thinks her grandpa is picking her up.
everyone is off the plane.
i walk her up to customer service - but they are overwhelmed with people.
"here is the UM" i tell them.
"k." they say.
"uh...she is seven."
"k." they say again. without looking over.
great. i go clean the plane while emma just stands by the customer service desk. holding her little stuffed animal.
5 min later. she hasn't moved. there are people everywhere. but no one notices her.
15 min go by.
ugh! i just want to take her home. we even got in a little late! where is dad!? or grandpa!?
i am mad at emmas parents. i know i dont know their situation. but if you cant live in the same state as your seven year old little girl named emma at least be on time to greet her when she comes off the plane to visit!!!!!! at least.

dog beach

i arrived in san diego at about one o'clock. after a not so fun deadhead (kids yelling all around me) i was excited to see my friend lindsay! she picked me up and we drove around town - pointing out places she used to work, the college she went to, where she goes running. it was fun to see into the window of her world - that which she calls home. so jealous.
we pull up to a stop light and glance at the dog looking out the window of the car right next to us, then we stare at the dogs owner who is very attractive. lindsay assures me that he is most likely on his way to 'dog beach' and thus becomes are next destination. we walk there from lindsays house and get burritos and drinks on the way. it was a beautiful day, perfect for sitting on the beach. we set up our picnic right smack in the middle of 'dog beach' and proceed to eat lunch and watch boys. i didnt really know what to expect and i never turn anything down that involves a beach. i access the situation and notice that we are surrounded by every type of dog. there are chihuahuas playing with st. bernards. english bull dogs and rottweilers. you name it. i quickly realize how out of place i feel. first - we DONT have a dog, and second i remember how i get SUPER awkward around dogs. they just make me nervous. but i dont admit this. i just play it cool. act normal. until i accidentally yell, "OH SHIT! A PIT BULL!" - as this full grown pit bull is charging towards us, full speed (or maybe towards the ball that his owner just threw near us), but still all i could think of is some show on animal planet called "when dogs attack" subtitled, "at the beach." Lindsay just laughs and asks me if i am scared of dogs. "ha ha...no. im just joking"....no im not. there we are eating and having conversation and BAM - a dog would trample right through the 10 inch space between lindsay and i - getting sand all over our picnic. this would happen multiple times. but of course we cant say anything. i mean we are choosing to eat our lunch in the smack dab middle of DOG beach!!!

i survived and at the end of the day i actually came to fall in love with one of them. a weimaraner.
i think he loved me too.

the rest of our day/night consisted of making friends with high schoolers and paying them a dollar to do back flips. taking jumping pictures. buying matching rainbows. ordering burritos in spanish on peoples answering machines (ok that was just lindsay). and watching this you tube video over and over. lots of laughing. best layover ever.

the guy in 2B

hello. hi.
(take a bite of a sandwich)
good evening sir.
(drink some water)
how's it going?....no, im sorry we do not have closet room for your suit.
(get some drinks for the pilots and get out my safety demo stuff)

one more flight. the last flight of the night to memphis. i am starving and ready for bed. but i have 20 min to get everyone on board, make sure that 50 people have their bags properly stowed, tray tables up, seat backs up, seat belts buckled, bins closed, count infants and children, make sure no one is in the lav, and make an announcement before we can close the door for an on time departure.

in the middle of all this a slightly grumpy, older customer service agent comes down into the plane and just starts yelling anxiously, "WE ARE WEIGHT RESTRICTED TO 44."
"ok" i say calmly. i check with the captain, and it is true. we have to pull 6 people.
he yells again, "I NEED 6 VOLUNTEERS OFF THIS PLANE......NOW."

oh my gosh, i thought, laughing a little at how absurd this guy was.
some people were kind of discussing the option with their loved ones or whomever. making excuses as i walk by, "i would, but i have to be at work in the morning. im a doctor." "of course. of course." (i mean it was sunday night and everyone had bought a ticket to come home sunday night).

after a few minutes a family of four volunteers. thank you.

"OK I NEED 2 MORE PEOPLE FOLKS!"

i chuckle a little. i mean he just seems so mad. yelling like that. we have a PA and there are nicer ways to inform everyone. "ladies and gentlemen if i could please have your attn, i have just been informed that due to the weight and balance of this aircraft it is necessary to remove six passengers. these people will be compensated with a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the continental US, plus free accommodations for tonight, and will be rebooked on the next available fight out tomorrow morning. thank you for your cooperation." i dont know if that would have helped, but maybe.

"TWO MORE PEOPLE!"

no one.

everyone wanted and needed to get home.

"ALRIGHT THEN," says the csa in a somewhat threatening tone, "IM JUST GONNA HAVE TO PULL OFF THE LAST 2 PEOPLE WHO CHECKED IN." he went to get his list and came back - shouting the two unfortunate names.
the older black guy in the last row came forward with this suit. tucked under his arm. he had a hat on and as he came to the front someone asked "ya got work tomorrow?" "nope," he answered. "my dads' funeral."

oh

the quiet guy in 2B slowly stood up and with out hesitation, looked him in the eye and said "sit down. you can have my seat" and walked off the plane.

less than a minute later i was closing the door. i had a count of 44 people going to memphis.

happy homecoming

on january first my dear friend was blessed with a little baby boy. he was born early and has had a pretty tough life so far. this week they are finally able to love him in their own home. his name is josiah which means "strengthened by god." cherie and craig are such wonderful parents and they are constantly trusting the lord with every situation. im so proud of them and be sure to check out their blog and keep their family and the little one in your prayers!