As most of you know, Clark, the girls, and I have traveled a lot. We have logged the miles in cars, yes. But we have also traveled many more miles by plane. Actually in Cali’s short 2 years and 10 months, she has flown in over 36 planes! We have actually traveled by car, plane, boat (small boat, ship, and ferry), train, bullet train, subway, bus, tuk-tuk, taxi, red truck, and probably more. We are truly pros at the whole traveling thing.

Because of our pro status, you would think we would look like pros! However, we have always thought we looked more like a three ring circus. You see between the children and the luggage we are constantly doing a juggling act. There have always been more bags than 2 humans should be able to physically carry. The girls have always been too small to really be much help. I would often find Clark with a grin on his face humming the circus theme song. Getting out of the house, to the airport, and checked in are just the opening acts. They are kind of amusing, but not nearly what you came to see.

Our first main event is going through security. Taking off shoes, coats, and getting the computer(s) out of the bag(s) takes up all three rings of our circus. The line behind us starts to back up at this point. Because of my SLR camera, or the MP3 players, or the portable DVD player...not to mention it could be an oddly shaped toy...we always have one or two bags that have to be run through security a few times and ultimately searched and even swabbed. The stroller going through the luggage scanner is always a sight for sore eyes as well. We often have the dog with us too...which just adds a whole extra demintion. Of course, in all the commotion, one of the girls is likely to have a melt down at this point causing even more stares and a bigger back up behind us. Then Clark will have to get searched because, well, I guess he just looks like a trouble maker...ha ha ha! While he is getting searched I am now alone to deal with the melt down, get shoes and coats back on gather all the bags that are not humanly possible to carry and then wait while he goes through the search (thankfully it has never escalated to a strip search). Everyone behind us has now been waiting patiently...or not so patiently at times for over 15 to 20 minutes AND the security guard knows us by name and thanks to our outgoing child they also know our entire life story!

Then we have a small lull as we wait for the boarding of the plane. But don’t worry, when we board it is a sight! Getting the stroller gate checked and then carrying all the carry on items and getting them stored and the girls seated takes all the energy I have left. Walking to the seats I must apologize to every single person that I wack in the back of the head with a bag or step on their foot. All the while trying to stop Cali and Melisa from sitting in every seat that is unoccupied. At this point, the grin is off Clark’s face and I am glad I can’t understand what he is humming or muttering. Once we do get to our seats we back up everyone behind us for a good 5 minutes as we store our luggage (which usually DOESN’T fit in the overhead bin directly over us). I then I have to search for empty spaces in other bins and as I find them I make a mental diagram of where all of our carry on luggage is now located throughout the plane. Then I find my seat and have to apologize 20 times to the person in front of us as I jam my overstuffed carry-on under the seat making them look like a human bobble head!

Ahhh, sweet relief, we are settled and the plane ride can go on without having to juggle much. Well, that is until we have a bathroom run OR food service and then it starts all over again! Have you ever tried to fit in one of those portable bathrooms with two little girls? Let me tell you, people are probably wondering what is going on in there as I am tripping over myself and the girls. I am surprised I have never left with a blue foot and soggy pants like you see in the movies.

I do think I have had at least one drink spilled on me during every flight we have taken! I laugh at the people who are all dressed up when the fly and there I am in my sweats. WHY, am I dressed like that? Because I know that something will be spilled all over me, staining my outfit! I don’t do it for comfort, I do it simply to save my good clothes!

And of course, the bag that I REALLY needed under my seat is the one in the overhead bin on the other side of the plane over the grumpy old man (an no Dad, I am not talking about you). Clark without saying a word, begs me with his eyes "Do we REEEEAAALLLY need it?" Thankfully, he is sweet enough to do it anyways! Thankfully, we have never dropped a bag on top of someone...but we have come close!

The flight always lands, just as we have gotten settled, the girls are playing happily and I am ready to close my eyes and take a short nap. I put the ear phones in to listen to some calming music and I hear we are making our final approach and all electronic devices need to be turned off and carry-ons stored. At this point we are sure to have a bathroom run because the fasten your seatbelt sign is on.

We finally stopped trying to get off the plane first (except for when we have a close connecting flight). We wait until everyone else has left and then we start to gather our gazillion bags and head off the plane last. Of course, we still have to wait for them to bring us the stroller at the gate before we can leave (because ours is ALWAYS the last one off).

Baggage claim is always fun. Melisa wants to talk to every single person trying to find their bags and loved ones. Cali wants to climb on the conveyer belt and take a ride. Clark can’t remember which suitcases I packed THIS time or how many there are. I am torn in 3 directions and this is usually when I think I am about to have MY melt down!!

Thankfully, we usually (and i say usually because we have had lost bags before) get all our bags and family or friends are usually waiting to help us from this point on. As we wait for the car to pick us up and load our luggage, we take a final bow to our crowd because the Three Ring Circus has officially left the building!

****Now, I want to make a note here. I may have made the girls sound rotten...but on most flights the flight attendants have commented on how well behaved the girls are for traveling. They are amazed at the manners and how quiet they are and polite of others. So, as much of a three ring circus we are, they are still well behaved!****

Now, as you read in my title...we are no longer a 3 ring circus. Somehow, we have overcome our status this trip! We only had 3 checked bags (that we all UNDER weight and required NO redistributing of items). We checked in with no problems.

We saw the security line and I got nervous. I dreaded turning into the Three Ring Circus. We had no stroller, only 3 small carry-ons, and no jackets. Cali and I made it through and she was excited to get to take her shoes off. Melisa went with Clark and was told that she won the award for having the prettiest carry-on. She walked through proudly and forgot to tell our life story as she was focused on her pretty bag! I took care of the girls and Clark took care of the computer. We had no searches (of humans or bags).

We boarded the plane without event and only had to make one apology for Melisa pulling on a guys seat. All of our bags fit under the seat with ease. The girls sat quietly and played with their petshop toys, their markers and paper, their playdough, and ended the flight with books. I was able to read a magazine and listen to about 10 songs on the iPod. We had no spilled drinks. We only had one bathroom run, with one munchkin...not two! We were even able to de board the plane with the masses instead of waiting until the end.

We found our bags with ease and didn’t even need a luggage cart (or 3 like we have before) to get our bags to the car.

Oh could it be...have we overcome the status we had found ourselves in. Has the Amazing Traveling Three Ring Circus finally retired? I can only hope and pray it is true!!!