Hays 1

The First Step

When I first arrived in China I was exhausted. Have you ever really though about what those plane trips are like. Me, I hate flying. Despise it. Have to take medication to keep from heaving the whole way. My medication is expensive and by prescription only! So I had to rush around and pack up my family in an amazingly short amount of time. I had to wait until the semester was over and put all of my stuff in storage because we were going to China, the 5 of us, on ten suitcases. That meant clothes had to be sorted, toys had to be chosen, books had to be packed (hey, I'm not stupid!) and I had less than 3 weeks to do it in. But I did it. No, not alone. I had lots of help. The funny part is I always have help available to me, I just don't always use it. So we had two big burly men to move around our stuff and haul it all out to the storage place and come back to get more. I mopped and scrubbed and cleaned until I couldn't do any more and then I had someone else do it. (some things never change)

Then I left. I flew off to Kansas for an orientation so that I would be prepared for my trip to China. Leaving behind my husband to take a road trip to Disneyland with our three kids and one of the burly men, his friend Eric.

If you want to know about their adventures at Disneyland, yes they had them, you will have to ask them. I wasn't there and can only say I am sorry that I set him up for failure by telling the kids they needed to see the princesses and the Cinderella castle. How was I suppose to know it would be under renovation? I only knew that it was where I went both times and I had pictures of me and my mom in front.
Anyway, on to Kansas.

I arrive at the Denver airport from Phoenix and I am a little nervous because it is the first time I have been away from my husband and children for any length of time alone. I had gone other places, but always accompanied by friends or family members. It was weird to be alone.

I tried to stay cool. I strolled up to the counter after disembarking the plane, only to find that I had been counted as on the flight to Kansas and would have to wait for the next connection.

I have to admit I was annoyed. How could they count me as on the plane when I was standing right there. Worse, the flight left 20 minutes early. I was on time for my flight and still missed the connection! So I waited in this long waiting room hallway in the Denver airport and played a game of Set with myself. I have to practice so that one day I will beat Amy at it. There I saw an interesting person. She attracted my notice because she looked only slightly older than me (she was) and definitely a together kind of person (she is). She was reading a book while I was playing cards. I noticed the circular tattoo on her arm and her really long hair first. But I didn't strike up a conversation. I was still too nervous about this whole orientation thing, not to mention my first big trip alone.

After a 6 hour wait or so we all climb aboard this little piddly puddle jumper type airplane that sits 20 at the most and bucks if someone sneezes (it has to be the 100 mile hour wind coming out of my nose...honest).
Anyway, I didn't get sick. I couldn't play Set on the plane, there are too many cards. But I was able to read a little from the magazine in the back of the seat. I noticed the other lady was sitting across from me, but still I didn't feel up to talking.

We landed in Hays Kansas, this backwater puddle in Kansas, at about 9pm. I was tired. I had left at 8AM for this incredibly long trip. The layover in Denver was ridiculous. I climb aboard this shuttle to the hotel and check in at the desk, go to my room at the very back of the hotel and settle in. I set my bags on the table and bed and get out a few things for wearing tomorrow and pop a CD in the CD Alarm clock radio. I figured that waking up to Sarah M. would be pleasant on my first night totally alone.
The end of day one.