What a 36 hours!

Our friends the Anderson's from Lexington!

We LOVED the sea lions!

ALCATRAZ!!!

Me and Dad on Pier 39 in front of Alcatraz!

Holy cow! In the past thirty-six hours I have found out that I am going to be undergoing major surgery and changing someones life as a result, gotten to give that news (which was one of the best moments of my life), left for a 28 hour trip to Manila, missed my plane by three minutes, stayed without any luggage in a hotel in Atlanta, had a huge breakfast, flew to San Francisco, had a MARVELOUS little mini (8 hours to be exact) vacation, and am now getting ready to fly out to Taipei, Taiwan! That's the condensed version. Let me start back in Montgomery on MONDAY...

So, Louise wrote about me finding out about being a match and telling Janet. After that I was in a RUSH! I hadn't finished packing, hadn't showered, and still had cleaning to do before my flight left at 5:20! I got the call at about 8:30, packed until 10 (when Janet got to work), then went to tell Janet. I got back home about 12:30, which left me 2 1/2 hours to finish packing, clean my house, and clean myself! After a major rush, I got finished just in time to see Louise and Leigh pull up to the house to take me to the airport.

We got to the Montgomery airport and checked my bags in and then Louise and Leigh sat there with me for 30-45 minutes and then I went on through security back into the passenger only area. As soon as I got back there, I found out the plane was delayed. Then it was delayed again. Finally (about an hour and a half late), we got off the ground (that included a 45 minute sit on the runway). When I got to Atlanta, I had come in at the gate that was THE ABSOLUTE FURTHEST from the gate I was scheduled to leave from. Of course. So, then I trekked all the way across the airport by myself to the gate I was supposed to meet Dad and Chris at. When I finally got there I got a call from Dad saying they STILL hadn't left Chattanooga and that we were going to miss our flight to San Francisco and for me to come to the gate where they would be arriving. Anybody want to guess where that gate was? No kidding, just four gates away from where I had arrived, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AIRPORT! So, on I went.

Finally, one minute after we were supposed to take off to San Francisco, they arrived. They ran out and asked if they could call them and tell them to hold the plane and we would run down to that gate. They said no and Daddy bargained with Delta for the next two hours before FINALLY, at about 11p.m. EST we headed over to The Crowne Plaza (courtesy of Delta Airlines). Daddy and Chris went to the food to order and bring it up to the rooms to eat. They ordered me some cheese sticks but I went on up to the room. I never saw the cheese sticks. I didn't see Daddy again that night. I was so exhausted and that bed was SO COMFORTABLE, that I just fell into the bed.

TUESDAY morning (about 6 1/2 hours after I layed down) we got up and had an awesome breakfast with Chris downstairs then went back to the Atlanta airport. Guess what? Plane DELAYED. About an hour later than our original time we boarded the plane ONLY to find out once we got on that we were going to have to sit on the runway for an hour and a half. And, of course, I was in the middle of three seats. Just lovely. After THE LONGEST 4 1/2 hour flight ever, we arrived in San Francisco!

As soon as we got there we went ahead and took a taxi down to Fisherman's Wharf. This was the best option since we all were loaded down with luggage. We found a place on the pier, looking off at Alcatraz to eat clam chowder in a sour dough bread bowl, which is MY FAVORITE!!! SO GOOD! Then we walked around and did a little sight seeing, a little shopping, a took a few pictures. It was down on the pier that I found this LOVELY little fudge shop and did a little shopping there! Whoo! After that we decided we were going to take a trolley and then the subway back to the airport. It was on the trolley that we met the nicest couple! Carol and Richard Anderson from Lexington, KY. Dad was wearing his name tag that said Trenton church of Christ and they started talking to us because they are members of the church of Christ in Lexington! Big shout out to them because I AM NOT SURE we would have made it back without about another $50 taxi ride! They were so nice and when Daddy and I go up to Lexington for a ballgame, we will definitely be calling them!

NOW, as I write this (about 11:45p.m. CST and 9:45p.m. PST on Tuesday night) we are waiting on our flight to leave. It will leave at 1:45a.m. PST and it is a 12 hour flight to Taipei. We SHOULD only be there for about two hours and then FINALLY on our way to Manila! We should arrive in Manila about two hours later, 9:35a.m. Filipino time on Thursday (which will be 8:45p.m. CST Wednesday)! From there it is a five hour van ride and, FINALLY, we should be there! I covet your prayers for these remaining travels! Hopefully, the next time you hear from me I will be typing from Dagupan, Philippines!!