Home from Titus 2

If you missed my first two posts in the Titus 2:1 conference, you can read them here and here. After checking the flight schedules to Cincinnati, and because I had to drive back to Baltimore, I left the conference early in hopes of making one of the two non stop flights that afternoon.

While waiting I witnessed a unit returning from Afghanistan. Oh the tears that flowed when several of the men and women hit their knees and kissed the ground so happy to be back in the States. Some of the troops were home and started running towards baggage claim. I can only imagine the joy awaiting them just a few moments away. Others took off to find phones. I witnessed strangers stopping to offer their cell phones to a few of the men in line at the phone banks. The soldiers made brief short, I love you -I am coming home calls before returning the phone to the now teary eyed owners.

As I continued my wandering, I stopped at each soldier and thanked him or her for their service. Several teared up and hugged me in thanks. Most correctly assumed that my family was also military. My husband was in the Navy for over 20 years, one son went into the Army and then the KY National Guard, and another went Marine’s. One of our daughter’s in law was Air Force so yes, I do understand how hard it is on everyone both as wife and mother.

When it was time for me to check-in at the gate, there had to have been 50 people waiting at the desk. All of them had just missed their flight because they were caught in TSA for up to three hours!  Now I know the rule is 90 minutes for domestic flights and when you are there that early you end up sitting at the gate for an hour. But these people had arrived on time, checked their baggage and proceeded to security only to be caught up in a work force issue that cost hundreds of people to miss their flights.

The group was thankfully not traveling to Cincinnati, and were moved to several later flights.  A Delta manager came to answer questions of the passengers. Delta was of course not responsible, but they were trying to help. Apparently TSA had scheduled a slow down to protest the recent job cuts at this location. Their actions did get a lot of attention but I am not sure it was the type or from the ones that could do something about it.

Woohoo..my flight is on the arrival board! Cheers! My name is on the standby list as #1. Thirty minutes to go…take a long time to pass when you are watching the clock. Oops…two more standby show up and push my name down the list. They are flight crew members that were on a late flight. There are four seats available, I am now #3. The plane arrives and thirty-nine passengers get off. A quick count of the faces waiting to board makes me start thinking that I will be booking a hotel for the night.

Suddenly, the agent is standing in front of me telling me to board early. They point out that should someone show up with higher status I might have to get off the flight. Those last minutes on the flight waiting for the door to close were tough. At one point the agent came on board, looking for me I assume. I was afraid to make eye contact with him. He sees me, of course and starts walking towards me. I finally look up and he busts out laughing at the look on my face…. and gives me a thumbs up! I am going home!

The rest of my flight was smooth. I was greeted at the waiting area and helped at baggage claim by one of my daughters and family. I was so thankful to be home but so worn out.

Funny thing, I can’t wait until the next Titus 2:1 Conference!