I am head-over-heels in love with these traveling companions of mine:
As I sat there on the plane with them after our adventures in South Carolina, I couldn’t help but have a little bit of joy in my heart as I admired their impeccable behavior. 
Yes, sometimes I mourn that they are growing up so fast.  But not on airplanes (well, at least most airplanes…see back HERE).  

I had to stroke Lucy’s sweet, messy hair as she colored to her heart’s content and asked politely for a drink from the airline attendant.

I smiled as I thought of a not-so-distant trip where she lost her clothes:

…because of a little “accident” and the adventure that ensued because I had packed nothing extra (back HERE).  Then there was the crying for three hours straight on another flight.  Serious reflux on others.  The sick-to-my-stomach feeling I would have for weeks before I would travel from one coast to the other with two little babies in tow to see my family in the summers.

But there I was, with smiling helpfulness surrounding me.

We don’t fly all together very often, so they were all in hog-heaven to be on an airplane, and I was in hog-heaven that I had four little assistants in place of exploding diaper changing in those little teensy-tinsy airplane bathrooms.

They kept me situated and on time, checking to be sure we had all our bags and checking the monitors for our flight.  It was a total role-reversal.

And man oh man I liked it.

But I’m getting ahead of myself…let’s back up for just a sec.

After South Carolina Dave flew home for meetings and work and the girls and I were on our own.  (We had already said goodbye to Max back HERE.)

Poor Dave had driven back and forth from Pawleys Island to the Charleston Airport over and over again…to get Elle from her Legacy tour, to get me from the BBS conference, to take Max to catch his flight to Nationals, and then again to take off.

Our flight was a little later, so much to my girls’ chagrin I seized the half hour before our flight to cram in some Charleston sights.  Oh man I wish we had longer there, but it was fun to drive through the beauty of that place and picture how it was way back when all that Civil War stuff was going on.

Then we waved goodbye to that wonderful place and turned our faces toward Utah and the family reunion we were heading to.

My four assistants helped me find the right Trax to get to a car we could use…

…and we headed to have a sleep-over with my dear high school friend Maureen.

The next day we went to Temple Square.

Lucy was dying to take a picture in front of the temple:

We went to church at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. 
(Elle wasn’t feeling great so she stayed with Maureen.)

I am so so so grateful for this amazing friend of mine, for the friendship we have shared for over thirty years, and for any opportunity my girls get to have her rub off on them, even just a little.

From there we did a little bit of Tetris to squeeze all those bags of ours into my parent’s little car:

And headed up to the lake to join the beginning of the gatherers for the big annual Eyre party/reunion.

6 Comments

  2. I bet my mother thought the same when we finally grew a little bit and would take more responsibility about traveling! It can't be easy with little kids but I can't imagine having so many and so little and being able (and willing!) to travel 🙂 I admire parents' courage sometimes!

    Reply

  4. In a few weeks I am flying from FL to Utah with four kids under 8. including an infant lap child. My anxiety level is HIGH!! I smiled reading your blog and realizing it will not always be so…

    Reply

  5. Hi Shawni,

    Your family are such travelers! I need to buy a luggage set for my oldest daughter to take off to college and to use for her study abroad. Do you have any recommendations? We want something light, but tough.

    My girls and I love reading about your adventures! Thanks!

    Reply

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