Trusting the Universe, destiny at its finest!

Okay, so you may have thought the excitement was over, one more entry to finish this trip off! The title speaks for itself and fully in a Michael Shapiro kind of way. TRUSTING the lead of the universe and destiny, may be pounded into these kids head from me. Not sure if they like me for it or not. 🙂

To begin, we all had a great night sleep at the Novotel minus the fact that it was a short lived snooze, alarms starting buzzing at 7 am and bedtime wasn’t until 12:30/1 am. None the less we were on time. None of us were truly satisfied with the breakfast buffet that we decided we were sure food would find us…..lol

We boarded the free airport shuttle service at 8:30 am after waiting outside in the cold misty foggy air of Milan. A nice older lady was the shuttle bus driver, having lived in Milan for 20 years she is ready to get back to her home town in the mountains just north of Verona. We got checked into our Aer Lingus flight. Connection today is through Dublin. We spent a lot of time last night situating suitcases as from Tracy’s purchases she has acquired an extra bag. We were successful, that when we approached the ticket counter and they demanded we check one bag as they were all busting at the seams it was a serious disappointment that caused some anxiety and discomfort. We talked through it and have decided “ all is for the good”, it will work out. The concern being our layover in LA is only 2.5 hours and we will need to get luggage and shuttle over to the Southwest terminal for the last flight to Phx for the day. I keep saying, it’s okay 🙂 We arrive at the gate and have our morning blog reading. Everyone loves it, that my ego has become boosted and perhaps I will really write a book one day in my future. We loved all the detailed replies and are seriously blessed to have so many special loving friends and family who take the time to share with me/us. It has become a ritual on this trip I will miss.

While we wait for the flight I share my dub-smashes with my nieces and some solo ones, we all laugh and have some comical moments reminiscing about the trip. As we all know, or if you have had the pleasure traveling with me, I’m a huge believer in my dads Dr B’s remedies drops when I fly. Everyone wants some. Sydney has a small mouth and trying to get her to open up is a laughter filled moment, that drops go everywhere all over her face. Truly funny but we are now homeopathically protected for no flus on the plane and won’t have any jet lag. Drops of GOLD In my opinion. On the plane to Dublin we are all getting hungry. Tracy has a favorite candy bar only sold in England, called a Crunchie. We still had one leftfrom our London layover and all share it. It’s chocolate covered Honeycomb and really yummy.

Before we land in Dublin, I look at our boarding passes, I was under the impression we had a 2 hour layover. For some reason the boarding pass says our boarding for next flight is in 20 min. This causes serious panic amongst the girls, mostly our angel worrier Tabby. I’m trying soooo hard to number one-get her to carry a water bottle and drink more and 2- to worry less. It is down- pouring in Ireland just as I recall it from my wonderful journey to this special green lucky wet country. We are ushered off the plane onto a bus that Will  transport us to the terminal for connecting flights. We meet all other travelers. A couple tells us all about there adventures to Marrakech, Morocco & Lake Como, I tell you the world is my oyster and I can’t wait for another journey after getting back to work for a while 🙂 Gotta live……work hard- play hard! Okay, so our boarding passes say 1:15 pm boarding but 3 pm departure. Tabby wants to be certain she does not miss school and makes it home that she is on high alert. I suggest we all go find food and will be okay. I get sooooo excited when I see a Burger King, I know gross, but a guaranteed solid American meal before a 10.5 hr flight. Tabby & Sydney have never had BK in their lives. So glad to be the first to introduce them to this fast food. Lol We leisurely stroll to a bakery and news store to buy more snacks for the plane.

Let’s all remember I’m a solo traveler usually without kids. Don’t have to worry about anyone else but me. Always take my time and never care about boarding fast or going through security. Perhaps not the best moves with our crew that I have apologized for steering us wrong. As everyone is carrying there own bags, has to take off shoes, take out liquids etc.  We had to go through another US clearance section I was unaware of, plus US Passport control. Good thing is, we won’t have to do it again in LA. But notice the title and be aware we are all peaceful on our plane home as I type this message. We truly bonded today if not the last week but are a team for sure!

We proceed to passport control. Me and the girls have global entry privileges that the girls and I breeze through the special line, passports scanned, finger prints pictured, and we are off. Poor Tracy is in the cargo line with all travelers like a swirly Disneyland line. She a bit nervous that we are separated, but I again say it will all be okay 😉 Tabby is really freaked out…..this little 7 th grade, beyond beautiful , sweet as a button, peanut is a worried girl!! I get her to stop and take 3 deep cleansing breaths in her nose and out her mouth until she thinks I’m nuts and starts laughing. Mission accomplished :-)We 3 have a nice passport guy and he stamps us through. We wait for a bit outside of the area but it’s getting close that I suggest we walk to gate to ensure we can hold this plane. Yes, it was that close, bear in mind my little angels are anxious on high alert, mama bear is separated from her cubs and they are seriously having a lesson in trusting this universe which I’m not sure will sink in with only 7 days with me. We ask the gate attendant the status as they are making announcements that the gate will be closing soon. The nice lady let’s me know 40 people still need to board, we text Tracy and she says she is getting close. She arrives, everyone takes a deep breath and we hand over boarding passes to enter.

This is where the plot thickens…..seriously you could not have made this up today. I am told they somehow missed my extra screening at security as I was randomly selected to go through an additional invasive full body check, WTF!?! All I can say is thank god I was selected and not one of them. I tell them to board and it will be okay 🙂 I think it’s actually comical and funny. Not sure they thought so until I was on the plane. I am escorted by Sada, a young girl from Pakistan who has lived in Ireland for 15 years. We speed walk back out past Passport control, she is buzzing us through secured areas to go as fast as possible back out to security. All the workers are afraid to see if it was their initials on my pass as someone missed the boat in doing their job properly. Sada is holding on to my passport and pass while a big burly guy takes my suitcase, I pad, and phone for extra bomb screening, dusting it all, they make me walk through the more technology body scan, then I’m asked if I want to be in private or public for a real body pat down. At this point I’m like , are you fucking serious?! Just do it here, I have no shame and need to be on a flight 10 min ago. The woman patted me down, everywhere! I passed, am given my belongings back, shoes back on and Sada and I are off to go back through Customs. We stand on the shorter line for crew. Sada is so calm, I must know her sign, she is born 2/1, an Aquarius 🙂 I suggest we cut to the beginning, she says we can’t…..we’ll I am like do you mind if I try, ha ha ha…4 nice beautiful flight attendants say no problem but assure me the plane will wait. I get on the plane, last one to board. I am laughing SO hard. We all get cozy in our row of 4.

I watched the cutest romantic, family love story called Little Italy, I recommend it! We are served lunch, disgusting Irish dog meat 🙂 Thank god for Burger King. We have a 2.5 hour connection in LA and left an hour late from Dublin……girls a little worried, Tracy and I confident it will be ok. Sydney actually made the comment she believes it will work out, and I actually had tears in my eyes from her comment. Can we say delirium is setting in…..lol

I swallowed my pill cocktails and will settle in, praying for sleep.

We made it, got Tracy’s bag at baggage claim and walked to Terminal 1 as it was next door and we have become professional walkers on this trip that we feel it is the faster option. Breeze through with TSA precheck since we all have it. I’m writing on the Southwest plane to PHX. Will be home tonight…….can’t wait to get in my bed, but will miss these girlies!!

We had a wonderful adventure, thanks for coming along with us, virtually!
Love Laurie Sue xo xo

PS Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Tracy, beyond grateful for this experience!