Year of Courage: Visit Family Alone

As we continue on with this lovely year of 2018 we are coming to the end on Month number four, April. Now, I have that this was not the original challenge that I was going to do this month. I didn't even have this on the list. However, life happens and whatever it was that I was going to, I can't remember, it was changed to this.

First off lets go ahead and start by having me tell you why this is scary. Growing up I have always travel to visit family, however, I have never really gone alone. When it came to visiting my family mom and dad would always be there. We never really had the whole "I am going to see the grandparents for a few weeks" kind of relationship growing up. We moved around when I was little, and we didn't really live that close to much family that I can think of growing up. That is until we moved to Knoxville and I have family near us now which is cool.

Anyways, the movie that I chose to prep myself for this adventure was Auntie Mame. 

The reason I chose this movie is because Auntie Mame is the godmother of her nephew. When his father dies he is sent to live with her. His life is literally turned upside down. This woman is... wonderful, forward thinking, in your face, and EVERYWHERE at once. I mean she can't stand still to save her life. She has to be doing something. She is like my dad at work or me when I am cleaning. We both think "I can everything done fast if I do a little bit of everything at one time" instead of cleaning all of one thing at one time. 

Anyways, the movie goes that she is his guardian and she very much wants him to do his own thing and have him think for himself. Then the Great Depression hits and she must now find a job. The whole movie is about her crazy life and how great and slightly crazy she is. She is wonderful I love her! I very much felt like Patrick, the nephew, in wondering "how is this going to go I have never met this lady before". He comes to find that she lives life to the fullest!

I won't lie. I was watching this movie going "Thank God it's goin to be nothing like this! It looks fun but I don't think I could handle a crazy trip with a crazy Aunt"....

Well, let me just tell you everything that happened to visit my Auntie Linda....

So, my I had to take a plane but the cheapest way to do the whole trip was for me to drive down to Atlanta, Ga to fly out of there. I HATE Atlanta's roads! I truly do! So, I was not happy about driving there alone. Then five miles from my hotel I had to stop and go to the bathroom. I can not hold it anymore. The gas station where I stopped at, one stall, someone was in it, and I could not wait. I ended up using the men's room.... Not proud of that moment... but it's my year of courage I chose to brace the unknown! 

I got to my hotel and felt good. I could not sleep because I was scared of the next day where I had to fly. No, I was not scared of the flying itself, I was scared of the airport. I have never flown before and I have never had to go through the airport and security. I was worried that I wasn't going to find my gate, or be very late. One top of all of that I had to deal with the fact that I needed to park my car in their lot for four days. So, I am tossing and turning all night. Not to mention EVERY time I would almost fall asleep a plane, hotel was near the airport, would fly over where I could hear it! I got up 30 minutes before my alarm when off, got ready and went to the airport. It was waaaay quieter that I thought it was going to be for the busies airport in the USA. The whole process went way smoother that I thought it was going to. Everyone at the airport who told me where to go, and what to do was super nice! Everything was laid out really well! I mean they even have a train that will take you to the right gate! I got through security, found my gate, and still have 30 minutes before they even started boarding. I was very proud of myself! 

Then I am on my way to Kansas! Yes, Kansas! My Aunt Linda and Uncle Chris live in Kansas! Being The Wizard of Oz nerd that I am I am crazy excited to say the least. The only way that this whole trip would have be nerdier is if my Aunt and Uncle where named Em and Henry.

Now, it was my mom's idea for me to visit her sister, well because it's her sister, but my Aunt lives near The Wizard of Oz Museum in Wamego! 2000 Artifacts that deal with The Wizard of Oz AND ALL IT'S GLORY! However, that is not the only nerdy thing we did! 

The first day we had donuts at Varsity Donuts and then we went to go and see the movie Sherlock Gnomes. Elle, my 3 year old cousin, liked it however I think Linda and I enjoyed it much more than any "grown up" should have! It was also that's the day I found out that my Aunt might be just as crazy as Mame! it wasn't any one thing that she did it was all of the stories that she told, and all of the crazy pranks that she pulled off. It was also the fact that after seeing the movie she got the idea on giving my mom an inappropriate gnome for her sidewalk...  

Junction City had a community theater that was putting on The Wizard of Oz production the week I was there! Linda got us tickets for opening night! It was put on in this Opera House that has been there since the 1800s! One top of that it was the first time in nearly 40 Years since this theater company has put on The Wizard of Oz. Yes, there is a way to nerd out about that because the beginning of the movie there is this note...

I mean come on! The Universe HAD to know I was coming to Kansas!!!!!

Let me tell ya'll something... Earlier this year my mom and I went to go see the professionals do the SAME play at the Tennessee Theatre, and I had so much more fun at the community theater production! I mean it was so funny, and everyone enjoyed it! I can not get over how great it really was! 

Then the next day I was OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD! I was so excited for the museum. I was ready to learn everything! There are over 2000 artifacts related not only to the movie but to the author as well! I mean really there is so much to this movie it's crazy! They had collectables, they had autographs, and replicas of movies outfits, they even had life sized figures made, and YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING! 

I will be nice and I won't post all of the pictures... 

I mean it was AMAZING though! Along with all of the reading materials, there are Three documentaries playing on loop, AND they had the whole movie playing on loop in the theater in the back! They even had a hot air balloon basket that you can get inside of a take pictures!!! 

Dear lord I was nerding out super bad. I didn't think it could get any better! So, after the museum, my cousin Nick and I were planning on going to the record store! I love records, I don't have a record player but I love them none of the less. On the way to the car we pass by something that you just can't pass up if you are a Wizard of Oz fan...

THEY HAD A YELLOW BRICK ROAD!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Then on the way to the record story Elton John's song "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" come on shuffle on Nick's playlist! It was just wonderful! So, Nick and I were at the Record Store, on National Record Store day thank you very much, and I was looking at some Frank Sinatra Records while he was looking for a limited release record. It was a very cool store! I enjoyed it! 

When we got home I was finally able to do the thing that my mother had sent me to do. Mom gave me a mission to give Elle a whole bag of confetti and do it without Linda and Chris knowing! I was finally able to sneak it past them and give it Elle....

Let's just say that I am not longer her favorite niece. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard about a mess I didn't have to clean up in my entire life! It was EVERYWHERE! They are going to move one day into a new house and it was somehow be in that house too!

After she cleaned most of it up my Aunt suggest to my 3 year old cousin to pick out a movie for us to watch..... 

SHE PICKED THE WIZARD OF OZ! 

It was GLORIUS! I don't think I have every had so much Wizard of Oz thrown at me in such a small amount of time... I could not have been a prouder cousin of that three year old if I tried! That she VOLUNTEERLY chose that movie! 

The next day was the day that I would be leaving. However, my flight was not until like 7pm so we had some time to kill. We met up with my cousin Brandon for lunch, he got a lot taller since the last time I saw him... it's been about 8 years...

Then did some site seeing and I finally got home and got to do another nerdy thing.... I got to FLY out of Kansas and say "Toto... I have a feeling we are not in Kansas anymore". 

Now, you would think I would be home free right? That I made it one the plane and back home without any hiccups right? Wrong! That did not happen! First it was 10pm so it's dark and one top of that it's raining. I am driving on unfamiliar roads that I LOATH ENTIRELY! The signs don't seem to be clearly marked on how to get back out to the highway. I follow the wrong sign and get stuck trying to take a road that my car will not be allowed into. Finally someone nice told me how to get out and back where I needed to go. Then I think I take the right way to end up in ANOTHER airport parking lot that I have to drive through in order to get out. I finally make it onto the highway and listen to my show tunes and drive home.

That is until I 40 miles away from home.... I am driving in the fast lane of I-75 at 2:30am in the fast late when my car abruptly start veering to the right. I, thankfully, make it safe to the emergency lane, get out and see that my tire is flat. I call my mom and she gets me the number for Triple A to come and put my spare on. He gets there in 20 minutes and I ask him how bad it is. He tells me that I have to get a new tire because this one is a goner. 

I have to say that has got to be one of the most fun trips that I have been on! I mean I got to hang out with family I don't get to see very often but I also got nerd overload! Everything that I was afraid of, like having nothing to talk about, or being board, was so not the truth in this case! I would hands down go and visit with them again!