Part 1: Getting there

After about 2 hours of sleep, we woke all the kids up (crazy, I know) at 4:30, to drive to the airport in Tulsa. Our flight left at 6:45 and Tulsa is a small airport, so we figured if we get there by 5:30 we'll be ok. That would have been find if it hadn't taken forever at the check-in counter. Upon checking in, we find that, whoops, Joe's passport expires 2 days before we return home (slight oversight), we're late, so we'll deal with that later. When we get to security, the line is way too long for 6:15 in the morning. Like Tulsa is a metropolis??? Those of you who've travelled with small children, know the amounts of stuff that comes with it, so it takes forever to unload everything that has been so carefully and efficiently packed, including a car seat and stroller. Not to mention trying to get the kids to cooperate by getting shoes off, through the machine, and back on, all while what they really want to do is go back to sleep. We're at the part where we're walking through the sensor and I realize there announcing "last call" for the flight. We send Joe running ahead to stop the plane. It worked, because we had a gate agent come grab the baby and escort us (and our accouterments) running through the terminal to make the plane. Right about this time I realized that I have quite a headache. Lack of sleep, stress, adrenaline? Who knows!?! All I know is that because we're flying on a small aircraft and we got there so late, I had to check my carry on, which contains my advil and Immitrex. Not good. What a lovely start to our vacation, right? Then the screaming begins. Grady, we've come to find, is not a traveler. (Luckily there was another baby on board, so we were able to blame the noise on him...come to find out that his parents did the same to us! =) When we arrive in Denver, I run to my suitcase to dig out my migraine medicine, but it's already too late. Full blown migraine with nausea and everything. As we wait for our next flight, I try to make a decision on whether or not I can even fly. When boarding time arrives I asked for a "barf bag" right when I entered the plane. The flight attendant scrambles for a garbage bag (did I look that sick?) and asks if I'm ok to fly. (I wasn't sure if she was asking due to my stomach or the three kids we had in tow?) Well, I survived the flight (barely) and was thrilled to get off the plane By the time we got through customs, my head was bearable (only 12 hours later). My parents flight arrived shortly after ours, so we had just cleared customs when they got in line. The girls were so excited to see them and watched them snake through the line, waving and yelling at them every few minutes. I set their car seats up for viewing, so the girls sat side-by-side in their seats, watching the customs line like a movie. Too cute!!! Anyway, to make a really long story (oh, wait...maybe that was just a really long day?) shorter....we arrive in paradise 12 hours later, quite tired, but ready for a great vacation.