The Way Home

Thankfully when the alarm went off at 5:30 a.m., I felt okay.  I had slept soundly through the night and was ready to face whatever came our way as we tried to make it home today.

We got the kids up and were out the door by 6:15, stopping to get gas along the way.  We had a moment of panic when Kirk put the cities into the GPS for directions, and we got an estimate of 3 hours from where we were to Ramstein.  I was sure I had put us only 20 minutes away, but I started second-guessing myself.  It was going to be b.a.d. if we weren't where I thought we were.  Thankfully, there must be two Ramsteins or else Kirk had mixed up an i and an e, because when he tried again, we were right where we were supposed to be.

He dropped us off at the airport and we all went in and put our names on the list confirming that we were present and ready for departure.  He drove the car back to Hertz, and then walked back to hang with us until roll call at 9:30.  At this point, we were #12 on the list, so we felt pretty good about getting one of the 42 spots.

The girls and I walked over to the inn to get some food.  We thought one final croissant or German pretzel would be a nice last hurrah to our trip.  There was only one restaurant open in the whole inn/PX, and we waited in line for about 30 minutes.  I bought a cheese pretzel stick and it looked amazing!  I went to take a big bite out of it, only to discover that it was not just cheese, but ham and cheese.  UGH!  I spit it out and threw it away.

Waiting

The airport kept filling up with more and more people.  There was a group of folks across from us talking, saying, "We're Category 5, so that should guarantee us a seat, don't you think?" Um, by the looks of things, no.

Our "competition" for the 42 seats

They didn't post a digital list on a screen.  They did it the old fashioned way and printed out sheets with everybody's names on them.  By the time 9:30 rolled around, and they were printing out the list of everyone who had signed up for a seat (200+ people for 42 seats!), we were WAY down the list.  We started making plans for what to do if we didn't get called.  The best option we could figure was to get the plane to Aviano, Italy later that afternoon, spend the night in Aviano, and then take the flight from Aviano the next day.  It had 80-something seats available, so we felt sure we could get on that one.  We just hoped we wouldn't have to.

The roll call started, and we waited.  We saw Paul and Colin from the flight over and said hello.  They got called early again.  By this time, we knew that there were now 73 seats free, so we were hopeful, but not 100% positive we'd have a spot.  The line kept getting longer and longer, and finally, we heard, "Hilbrecht, K."  We were next to the last group called again.  In the 60s of 73 seats.  We definitely had a guardian angel watching over us on this trip!

We went up to the counter and were admitted into the check-in line where we had to wait about 30 more minutes to check in, even though we weren't checking any bags.  The guy behind the desk told us that we needed to head upstairs by 11:30 to wait for security to open at 12 because the line got really long.  What?  We can't even go through security until 12?  Yep.  The flight was not scheduled to depart until 2:30.  It was going to be a long day.

By this time, Subway had opened, and I got myself a sandwich to keep from starving before we boarded the plane.  We sat in the hallway upstairs and waited and waited.  I wished I had a cot.

Long about 12, the security guards showed up, and we started shuffling towards the gate.  The guys in uniform didn't have to remove their boots, but we had to take off our shoes, etc.  We got through that business and then had to clear the customs lady.  She was a dragon lady extraordinaire.

The poor couple in front of us were put through their paces.  How did you get into Germany?  Did you show your passport?  Why isn't it stamped?  What were you doing here?  How long did you stay?  Did you buy anything while you were here?  Really?  I don't believe that!  How did you get into Germany if you didn't get your passport stamped?  I asked you once already!  On and on.  Finally, she looked at them and they would be dead if looks could kill.  We were shaking in our boots when we handed her our passports, but she just stamped them and waved us on.  Sometimes I think customs people like to mess with travelers just to liven up their days.

We went into the gate area and had to wait some more.  Like another hour and a half.  At 2:30, they started boarding people by if they were coming home from Kuwait, had small children, had families, etc.  We got on about 3:00 and we didn't take off until close to 3:30.  I was sad to go.  There was so much else I wanted to do, so much I didn't get to see.  I kept telling myself that I've done and seen more than most people I know, but it's hard to leave a place when you feel like you are not finished yet.  Guess I'll have to come back.

I was in a seat with a young soldier.  I found out later that he was 21 and had been in Kuwait for 9 months.  He wasn't very talkative, and I could tell he was tired.  He slept most of the trip, and whenever the stewardess came around with drinks or snacks, I'd get something for him.  I had to wake him up for dinner, and we talked a little.  He had gone into the army straight out of high school to get money for college.  He was heading back to his base and then getting out of the service to start his education.  He only had 3 months left before he was finished, so he wasn't going home on leave.  He hated the desert and couldn't wait to get back to the States.  I never asked his name.

As we approached the runway, my soldier guy was looking out the window and at the landscape below. When the wheels hit the runway and we were back on US soil, I saw him wiping tears from his eyes. I didn't want to stare, so I tried to look away but I couldn't help it.  When he turned my way, I said, "Glad to be home?" He replied, "Oh my god, yes."

We landed in Baltimore at 4:30 p.m. local time, 10:30 p.m. by our bodies.  We had to wait to get off the plane.  Wait to go through customs.  Wait. Wait. Wait.  When we walked through the doors to finally go rent a car for the drive home, we were greeted with applause and posters and photographers and people yelling, "Welcome home!"

I was like, "I don't think we are who you want.  We were just on vacation..."  They offered us the welcome home goody bags, but we declined.  It was really nice, though, for the people who had been in the Middle East or stationed overseas.  They were all coming through the doors surprised then breaking into smiles from ear to ear.  There were some kids with Down's Syndrome at the end of the Welcome Home gauntlet, giving all the soldiers high-fives.  There was a lady waiting with a new baby for her husband who had not seen his daughter yet.  There were parents waiting for their kids, and I saw my seat mate walk out and into the arms of his mom and dad.

My new friend hugging his mom

I have never seen anything like this except for the Honor Flight, and it was really nice.  It makes you feel proud to be a part of something other than yourself.  Twenty-three years I have been a military wife, and 26 years attached to the military.  It's pretty powerful when you think about it.  It's just what we do in our family, but wow, what an honor.

It took awhile for Kirk to get the rental car set up using his points, so we didn't get on the road home until about 7 p.m.  I had been up for about 20 hours.  I started to crash the minute I sat down in the front seat, and we pulled out onto the freeway.  Luckily Kirk was driving, so I got to nap for awhile.

We drove for about 2 hours then stopped for some good old Taco Bell.  I took over the wheel and we finally decided to stop in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.  I don't really even remember walking to the room.  We had a roll-away cot for Kyle, and the 5 of us fell asleep one last time in the same room.  I wonder how many more times we will do that...