Airshow, crash, and burn

Josh is out of town in Cleveland on a business trip so I have been working with four loving children by myself for four days now. The kids and I had been wanting to go to the airshow. Unfortunately, they lost their privilege because of behavior and choices. On Friday I felt so bad and I really wanted to go so I decided that after they had fantastic behavior for the entire afternoon and throughout the evening that I would let them have the privilege back and we would brave the airshow without Daddy.

The morning started out great. They were all extremely helpful and stepped up and did everything that I asked them to do and more. We were there when the gates opened at 8am. The craziness of the day had already begun with the lines to get in. Every person had to go through metal detectors and have bags searched. It helped to have a couple of things like this to help keep the kids occupied during that time (see the metal detectors below the balloon)...
Once we made it through the gate it was a quick potty break at the porta-potty (fun experience for Brendon - he massively freaked out!!!). Then it was on to the fun. We got to see so many different kinds of cool aircraft.

Helicopters were in abundance...

Then the planes were a young boys dream come true. Brendon was in absolute heaven. Every time we turned around he was screaming, "Airplane, Mommy, Airplane!" Some we got to just walk around...

While others we were able to tour and "play with" up close and personal. Once inside we weren't allowed to take pictures, but it would have been neat to have captured their interest as we toured everything. On the plane below we got to be in the cockpit. Bailey was the "pilot", Lexi "co-pilot" I was the flight engineer with my assistant Brendon on my Lap and MacKenzie was the Navigator with about four other people on the bench in the back. My kiddos loved being up in the front. Then it was on to the back and checking out everything that the airforce uses the planes for.

This one was actually the most difficult - but it was the one Brendon was the most excited about. It was very unique and very old, but I wish they could have somehow warned us about it. It was very tight once inside we constantly walked downwards to the back of the plane in a very narrow area and about half of it was on a six inch or so "balance beam" where you had to hold onto ropes. Um, doesn't work so well with a pregnant mom alone with four small children. Lexi had no fear. But the other three thought they needed to hold on for dear life. I was trying to keep them calm and not loose balance myself. I think we will stick to the bigger planes from here on out.


This boy loved it all. Just as some of the lines seemed like they were never going to end planes would start flying overhead and doing cool things. He would let go of my hand and squat down to get a good look. I was trying to get pictures from the front of him doing this, but the planes were too fast so he would move to see them. I loved these moments.
These are some of the things they were doing. Hard to see (better in the second picture below) in the middle is a guy parachuting down and these planes circled around him. The kids were mesmerized!!!

I had originally planned to take the kids back out to the car for a picnic and then come back in because they wouldn't allow much food in. Once we saw the lines for getting back in that was out of the question. It was either leave and miss the actual "show" of the planes which is why we actually went or buckle down, hit one of the ATMs and eat there. Let's just say it wasn't cheap to feed the family there. We saw some friends - the Seedalls. Jaime offered to help us out through lunch. I felt terrible taking her up on the offer and moving in on their family time, but the help was invaluable. The kids were hungry and suddenly needed to keep going to the bathroom. Jaime and Branden helped out so much more. At one point I sent MacKenzie to the trash with stuff and she didn't seem to see the one I pointed to less than 10 feet away. When I realized she was not there I freaked out. Lexi and Bailey had gone to the bathroom. I grabbed Brendon and was trying to find MacKenzie. Jaime took Brendon from me and just instructed me to go look. I ran into the thousands of people there searching, calling her name. I started tearing up and all I could think to do was pray. I said a quick, but fervent prayer. When I looked up I saw MacKenzie with Lexi and Bailey across the long area at the potty. I ran over and asked why she ran off. She simply said I came to the trash like you told me to. When I got back with her and had tears in my eyes Jaime just hugged me and it was all I needed to calm down and feel better. Thanks Seedalls for being my heros for the day!!!!! (Picture of the Seedalls taken by Lexi when she stole my camera on one of my potty runs)
The lunch hour was actually the only hard time for me (which as explained worked out due to the charity of friends). The rest was manageable. All through lunch and for the next couple of hours after we saw a lot of the following things happening.

Blue Angels. I wish I had a better picture, but they were flying during one of the potty breaks and then I had to fight Lexi to get my camera back. That child and stealing my camera. Ugh!

I think these are F16s - someone may have to correct me. These things are fast. They would fly by and the sound would catch up a couple of seconds later. It was very misleading as to know where to watch.

This is the new U2 plane. I know you can't get perspective to see how big and crazy the wing span was, but it was ginormous. An credible aircraft.

Several parachute jumps. The plane would circle drop off a jumper or two. The jumper would do a smoke stream so we would know where they were. Once the one or two landed the plane had circled around and had increased the altitude by over 4K feet and drop off more jumpers. It was cool to watch.
It was here that I had had enough sun and the kids were really starting to show signs of being tired. We were calling it a day. Brendon walked the entire day and was at the point of saying, "I tired. I hold you." I barely had enough energy to keep one foot going in front of another let alone try to pick him up. I just kept telling him we were almost there. We made it home, put a movie on for the girls and Brendon and I crashed hard for about two hours. We were both exhausted beyond belief. It was a much needed break for both of us.

I was also in pain. I kept applying sunscreen to the kids, but somehow completely forgot myself. I am now burned to a crisp on my arms and the chest area that was showing. I will have a lovely new "farmer's tan" out of it when it heals.
I got a lot of questions today at church. When others would hear of my story they would just think I was crazy - first for going with four kids and no husband and second for not applying any sun block. Our friends the Shumway's could just see my exhaustion and invited us over for dinner this evening. It was wonderful to not have to cook after my long weekend - ending with our fun yesterday. And thanks also to the Shumway's for running some Aloe Vera over to me last night. It has also helped. The picture above was taken after church today and after about 15 applications of lotion, two treatments of Aloe Vera and one of a skin soothing creme.

The kids are now tucked quietly (mostly) in bed, Spring Break is over and I, probably more than them, are ready for school to start again tomorrow. Plus Daddy will be back tomorrow night and I have missed him terribly. So for now, I am off to apply yet another round of therapies to my burns and then I will sneak off to bed a little earlier than usual for me.