From IAH to LOS via FRA.

June 21, 2011

From IAH to LOS via FRA.

I am happy to say that all of the excitement of our trip happened before we even left Houston. First of all, no matter how much you prepare, it seems a lot of packing happens in the last three hours before the trip. Michael and I were cramming video game systems, toiletries, frozen foods, snacks, DVDs and Apple TVs into duffle bags while our incredibly kind neighbors came out in scorchingly hot Houston weather to load up their truck with our stuff. (We don't deserve such kind friends.) We got to the airport just in time to check in our 15 (yes, 15!) pieces of luggage and stroll leisurely through security and wait to board.

Oh, but wait ... you didn't think it would be so easy did you?

As we left the airline counter, Michael turns to me and asks, "You have the residency papers, right?"

Uh ... no. No, I do not.

So ... going back to those kind neighbors who not only loaded up their truck and our minivan, but then drove us to the airport and finally returned said minivan to our garage, and who are also helping us look after dog and home while we are abroad... Can you believe we had the gall to call them again and ask a favor?!

"Um, hi, Terry? We need you to go over to our house, find some papers in our files, jump in your truck and bring them to us at the airport. Ok? ... Ok, thanks ... See you soon."

Twenty very anxious minutes later, we finally have residency papers in hand (thank you, Terry!), sail through security and, would you believe, we still arrived in time to pre-board (it's nice to be married to a man with platinum access ... it doesn't hurt to have three excited children in tow either). The flights to Frankfurt and then Lagos were uneventful. We slept, watched a lot of movies, ate a lot of airline food, and made many in-flight visits to the toilet.

Once we landed in Lagos, it again came in very handy to have three excited (and now high-strung, been-up-all-night-without-enough-sleep) children in tow. Immigration waved us right through, and Customs took one look at our 15 bags and three children and also waved us through after much patting on the head of our blond children.

Outside the airport, we were met by our driver Big Ade and a security team who escorted us to our car, waving off the several young men volunteering to help with our luggage. There was little traffic so we sped right home, enjoyed a spaghetti dinner brought by our new neighbors, Ted and Kim, and fell gratefully into our beds.