Well hello there!
How’s everybody doing on this lovely autumn day? Here, in Waukesha , Wis.
I’ve realized that there’s been a lot going on over here at “Katie’s
View,” (the name of my blog, in case you’re new here and didn’t know) and I
decided to take this opportunity to write a bit - fill everyone in on what’s
been a-happenin’ ‘round these parts. It’s all good, so this should be fun!
As many of you know, my daughter’s family (Megan, Joe, and now
Jakey too) have lived in Connecticut Oklahoma
Their summer became insanely busy as they flew back and
forth a couple of times to Tulsa
Their home sold quickly and everything fell into place, so
the three made their cross-country journey at the end of August. Movers came
and packed up their house and (get this!) over the course of a couple of days, Joe,
Megan, one-year-old Jakey, their dog (Macie, who gets carsick), and two active cats,
drove from New Milford , CT
to Tulsa Oklahoma
Joe had committed to a business trip prior to their move, so
he was scheduled to work in Canada Tulsa
Okay now, for some of you, those who travel a lot and are
used to airports, bus stations, etc. this does not seem like a big deal. But it
was for me! I do not come from a
family where my mom flew around by herself. The first time she ever flew was
for her and my dad’s 25th wedding anniversary (1974). My dad had
been in the military, so he’d traveled more than that, but certainly not on a
whim. Why, Todd and I were both in our 20’s the first time we ever flew in a
plane, so I guess that for me, it still feels like a big deal. Also, I can
probably count on one hand the amount of times Todd and I have been apart due
to overnight travel. Come to think of it, we may be up to six or seven times,
but when you take into consideration we’ve been married for 35 years, well… it’s
just strange, you know?
Once Todd realized he couldn’t go, he was quite encouraging
to me that I should. I wanted to be a good sport because I knew what a great
opportunity this was, and knew that Megan, Jake and I would have a great time
together once I arrived. I knew that I somehow needed to put away whatever
silly fear thing I was facing, and focus on the positive – keep my eye on the prize!
I’ve been using a daily devotional called, “Jesus Calling.”
In it, the author writes as if God is talking directly to the reader. I really
love each day’s short message, and have been putting much of what it suggests
into practice – sort of a “If God is for us, who can be against us…?” type of message.
I knew that being afraid of traveling alone was sort of irrational since it
was unlikely that I’d have a weather delay at this time of the year, or that I’d
encounter anything insurmountable. I’m
intelligent! I can do this! I am woman, hear me roar…!
I’ve flown enough times to understand the procedures and
everything, but even with “Jesus Calling,” and even with understanding the
procedures, I still felt so apprehensive. I always do feel that way before
flying, but this time (going it alone) everything felt magnified. (I know, I
know, some of you are shaking your heads right now at how silly this sounds,
but keep reading!)
I’m proud to say that I did everything myself. I made my
flight reservations by considering lighter travel days. Since we’ve had a bad
experience in the past with connecting flights from Milwaukee
to Chicago Tulsa
I needed to be at my bus at 5:00 a.m. You know how that is
when you have an early-morning departure, right? You barely sleep the night
before because there are last-minute arrangements to consider, and you hope you
don’t sleep through the alarm. All went well. We left the house with five
minutes to spare. But wouldn’t you know that that bus was late!!?? Right out of
the gate I wondered if I’d done something wrong or read something incorrectly.
But Todd waited with me, and after about 15 minutes, the bus came over the
hill. We shared a quick hug and kiss, and I was on my way to Chicago
The bus stopped at five pick-up points before heading
directly to the airport. I noticed that as each new passenger boarded, they
seemed so calm and collected. Some paid for their trip right there on the bus.
I did not know that was an option – good to know! Many of them closed their
eyes and caught those few extra missed ZZZZ’s, but not me! Instead I thought of
my son’s wise words of travel wisdom when he was assisting me in feeling better
about solo travel. “Mom, take pictures of everything, and keep a journal so
that you can blog about your experiences later.” Hmmm… that advice sounds oddly familiar, probably because I tell him
those things all of the time. Funny how I didn’t think to take my own advice
until the words came bounding back at me. Nonetheless, in true Tony/Katie
Memmel style, I watched from the bus window as the sun rose in the east, and even
snapped a selfie for you, just to prove it’s all true.
We arrived at O’Hare with plenty of time to spare, which is
exactly the way I like to do things. When I travel with Todd, he’s much more
loosey-goosey with time, and we often find ourselves much more hurried than
relaxed. I navigated through Security without any trouble. I also had kind of a
weird thought about airports. The hub and shared areas are much like the palm
of a hand, and the concourses jut out like fingers. Some airports are obviously
much larger than others, but it kind of shrunk the idea of what I was doing
that day, down to a more manageable vision. I don’t know - the thought felt good
to me. Is that silly?
It was a perfect day for flight! The sky was bright blue and
as we headed southwest, I could see the ground so clearly. It surprised me just
how much I loved looking out of the plane’s window. I’ve flown over water,
sand, cities, and mountains, but that day I was overcome with the beauty of the
vast 
Since I wasn’t sleeping, and in fact, wasn’t even tired, I took out my brand new notebook
and made a few notes about my thoughts. I felt excited on a number of levels –
to see my daughter and grandson, who since we saw him last, is now walking up a
storm! I’m excited to witness the many changes that have happened in their
lives over the past several months, to see their new home (which we’ve seen only in
pictures) and which seems to be making them very happy. As grateful as I am for
Face Time and its video technology, nothing would trump the live show I knew I'd witness once I landed.
Well dear friends, I’m pleasantly pleased and even proud of
myself for stepping out of my comfort zone long enough to not only endure, but
to actually enjoy my new solo travel experience. I asked a few friends to
pray for me, and trusted God by putting both my petty fears, as well as my
overwhelming emotions, into His hands. Not only was the morning tolerable, it
was actually quite enjoyable! Wait until I tell Todd that he has a competitor
for the coveted airplane window seat from now on.
I’m going to stop here, and write another entry very soon
about how wonderful my visit with Megan and Jake turned out. Stay tuned!!! Until then...
Your Friend in Travel,
Katie
Katie Kolberg Memmel is the author of “Five Fingers, Ten Toes – A Mother’s
Story of Raising a Child Born with a Limb Difference,” and “Silly Stories and
Sentimental Stuff.” Both books are available as either electronic or paperback
versions. For more information, visit her website: www.katiekolbergmemmel.com
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