Today I am Thankful For...

...Chic Fil-A, slurpees, GAP, automatic SUVs, Target, fountain Dr Pepper, Wal Mart, Sonic happy hour, turkey sandwiches, and candy corn. Not everyone will appreciate this list, but some will.

So obviously I made it back to America. The trip was a bit of an adventure. All was well from Paris to Dublin but then the flight from Dublin was late and I missed my connection in DC. Well, I didn't just miss it. I rushed through customs, grabbed my suitcase, answered 'a few' questions from customs and then ran to make the connection. Only I couldn't find the check in desk and when I finally found someone who knew what was going on I had already missed it.

Then it was an automated check in thing and I sure could NOT figure that out...my first experience with all this new, mind-boggling technology. I finally got things together and figured out, got myself rebooked on a new airline (where an airline employee had to come and do my automated check in for me) and headed off for security. This is where the fun began.

While I was still in line, still in line, for them to check my ticket the first time so I could put my carryon onto the xray machine a security lady comes up and says very quietly and discreetly 'maam can you please come with me?' She takes my ticket and passport before I can answer and leads me to a special x-ray machine where she takes everything from me and sends me through the metal detector. A lady on the other side leads me to this glass booth that has a door with no handle on the inside. They put me in that solitary confinement booth and left me there!!

Then from outside the glass booth the lady says that I have been selected for extensive security screening and that they will keep me in that booth until they thoroughly search my bags, at which time my person will be extensively searched. What can I do? I'm stuck inside the glass booth with all the regular passengers walking past me and looking at me like I did something wrong, like I'm a terrorist!!

They took about 10 minutes to go through my carry on and purse, taking every single item out and inspecting it. Then they took me out and searched me too. Finally they figured out that I wasn't carrying a bomb or anything else and they let me go repack my bags and get to my gate.

Good thing I had already missed and been rebooked for my flight or I would have been really angry but I guess I can see why they might have chosen me. My passport is old and wouldn't scan when I checked in for my flight...never mind that Sudan stapled stuff inside of it right next to where it says 'do not staple'. Throw in the fact that I looked especially nervous and anxious (coming home after 3 years can be just a little nerve wracking) AND I was probably a little disheveled from running through the airport with a heavy suitcase. Then I just happened to have lived in a country that is one of the top 3 state sponsors of terrorism, plus how many other questionable places have I visited? Yah, I guess I can't blame them for picking me.

I finally made it to Dallas and my family and friends were there with signs and flowers. It was very sweet. Now I've been busy shopping and sleeping. Fun times!