Can I Keep You?

Oh, the adventures!!

Saturday was conference. I dropped Drek off at the Priesthood session just a little before six and then did something I have never done before: go to the airport alone. I was very anxious about getting lost on the way there, especially since I was already behind schedule, I was supposed to start my journey fifteen minutes before six, not five minutes before six. Oh well.

I make it and parked with no problems. I went into the terminal and at once became confused. Nothing looked familiar. And where was Jet Blue? Not only did everything look foreign, the place was deserted. No travelers, no one waiting for family members, no one at the Delta check-in desks. The only person in sight was the security guy waiting to check IDs. There wasn't even anyone in the security line. After ten minutes of going around this corner and looking around over there, I decided to ask him where Jet Blue was. He informed me I was in Terminal two, and Jet Blue was in Terminal one. I had no idea out airport had more than one terminal.

I quickly fixed my mistake. Terminal one was just as deserted. No one in the security line, no one eating at the restaurants. And then I round the corner. Oh! That's where all the people are; in the line for Jet Blue. Curses. As the clock ticks on the line barely moves. I get more and more nervous. Her flight lands in twenty minutes. Her flight lands in ten minutes. Her flight is landing in five minutes and I am not even at the front of this stupid line!! Finally, it was my turn. I informed the girl that I was picking up an UNMIN (that's airport slang for unaccompanied minor) and needed a gate pass. She was super-efficient, filled out the paperwork and gave me the pass. The plane was landing in two minutes.

I zipped through security in record time. No waiting due to the fact that there were no lines and no one else to check. I raced to the terminal just in time to see the first people come off the plane. I made it!! Jessica, of course, was the last one off (she had to be escorted by a flight attendant). Hooray!! I finally had my Jessi!!

We got her luggage, called her mom and made it out of the airport with no problems. We stopped by MacDonald's to get her dinner (still her favorite. So is Mac and Cheese. Both of these things have been her favorite since she was two). We picked up Drek just as he got out of his session and made it home!! We introduced Acouchi to Jessica and Jessica to her room.

The next day was conference: pretty boring for a twelve-year-old who hasn't had the church as a major part of her life. I tried to make up for it on Monday. We went to the State Library (Oh my goodness amazing!!) and to a most delicious and unique restaurant for lunch. We went to the bird aviary and fed ducks and peacocks (we fed and petted the peacocks a lot. They loved Jessi!!) talked to the eagles and the condors and a magpie played keep-away with Jessi (seriously, those birds loved her. It was odd). Everything went great until we fed the pelicans. We threw them fish from the trainers cart. Also in the trainers cart were rats to feed to the raptors. Jessi could not handle this. Especially since they were baby rats and they had been separated from their mom two weeks too early. We left in a hurry after that.

We discovered this crazy garden place that I can't talk too much about (classified information for the next Saboteur game) but we had a blast there.

We went to get her hair cut (anyway she wanted it cut) and were both disappointed that the place we went wouldn't dye "off colors". We spent the rest of her time here trying to get aqua-marine streaks in here hair, but never succeeded.

We made a Mexican Dinner; I made enchiladas and she made fresh guacamole. Delicious!! The night ended with games and movies.

Tuesday morning was spent lazying around, watching movies and playing games, until I had to go to work. That night was more games and more movies and a trip to the hardware store. Drek stayed home while Jessi and I went out shopping. We found her a new shirt and two new dresses. Wednesday started off great!! We had breakfast and Jessi gave me Guillotine for my birthday. We played it (Drek won) and then we were off on our trip to Liberty Land!! We were excited to go, Liberty Land has a roller coaster and bumper boats and rock climbing and things like that. The Internet said they opened at ten so after being delayed for twenty minutes trying to get a hold of someone that said they were coming we left on our own and made it there at eleven. They were closed. The door said they didn't open until noon. The door lied. They don't actually open until...well, they never opened that day. I'm not sure if they have already gone out of business or just aren't opening until May.

Disappointed, we drove back home. We convinced Drek to go swimming with us and we all changed into swimsuits. We were off to the indoor water park!! Online they said they would be closed April 6th and 7th so I wasn't worried at all. I should have been. They were closed. So, we drove all the way back home and at this point I am highly disappointed, highly irritated (why do people use the Internet everyone lies about when they are open?) and highly emotional. We dropped Drek off at home, changed out of our swimsuits and decided to go somewhere I knew FOR SURE would be open: Ikea. That's right. My big trip on my birthday and Jessi's last day here, was to Ikea. Lame. Actually, we make it really fun, but still. Lame. We also spent a good portion of the building Acouchi a playground, but that's another story.

Then it was off to work. A thirty minute meeting turned into a two and a half hour meeting and we were FINALLY free to go party with Rissy and Ismail. We had delicious Chinese food and Rissy had made the most amazing cake and cupcakes and chocolate dipped strawberries. We watched Dr. Horrible (Rissy was horrified that Jessi had never seen it) and then it was time for LOST!!!! What a good episode. We came home and collapsed.

Thursday Jessi and I went up to Temple Square. We toured the conference center (a personal tour!!) and walked through the art exhibit. We walked around the temple and talked about church-stuff and finally it was time to go to the airport. The line was much more manageable this time Although there were a lot of people. We wen through security and guess what? They confiscated my pocket knife.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have traveled with that pocket knife since I was fifteen. I have always taken on the plane with me. I have had it in my pocket, in my carry-on bag, and out in plain sight in the bucket. My bags have been searched and my make-up confiscated, but they have never once caught my pocket knife with three blades, scissors and a screw-cork thing. Once, when my bags were searched, I even had a security guy hand me my keys with my pocket knife attached. I was sure I had been caught that time, but no. When I went to pick up Jessi, I had it in my purse.
When I went to drop off Jessie, I had it in my purse again, but this time, they guy caught. I was stunned. Give that guy a medal. I can't believe he found it. I was beginning to think it was invisible to X-ray machines.

Anyway, Jessi got on the plane all safe and sound. I will see her again when she comes out during the summer, but I still miss her. I wish I could keep her.