O-h-i-o

This past weekend I got to go to Dayton, OH to visit my mom's side of the family. I was born and raised in Texas and this was only the third time for me to visit, the last time being about 14 years ago when I was 12.

Getting up there was a bit of a trip. My mom and sister headed up a couple days earlier, so it was just me headed up on Friday. I was thinking I was so clever, I had managed to get all my stuff in two small bags that I packed at 11pm the night before.

As soon as I showed up at the airport and got in line for security, I noticed something that I should have taken note of before. I had packed ALL of my full size toiletries. Full size shampoo, full size toothpaste, full size soap, full size hairspray...everything. This does not exactly go well with the semi-new 3 oz. carry-on rule. So there I was re-arranging all my luggage so that I could check one of the bags....which turned out to cost me $15!

So finally I have my bag checked and I'm going through security, only to be stopped for forgetting to bag a few makeup type items. Board plane, sit for 20 minutes, we taxi out...a minute later captain says we have to taxi back in....

So we taxi back in for mechanical stuff (AC wasn't working), everyone gets off plane, I buy candy bar, go to RR, then we all board. Flight to Dayton....take 2!

I finally made it! 2 hours later!

More about the rest of the trip later, but it was so great to be there and to be around family. I think the best part of it all is how I feel welcomed and so loved around them all when we barely get to spend time together or see each other. My aunts are loving, my uncles are so good to love on me, and my cousins act like we've been there all along. That is the best feeling of all I think, that when I walk in, I feel like family and not like a foreigner....when, let's face it, being from Texas, I kind of am one up there!