Listi Leaves for BYUI

    Listi is on the road again, or rather has already left on the road. She called me up a few months ago (right after she got back from the mission) to search for plane tickets out West. She had decided to attend Brigham Young University- Idaho and was accepted to attend in September. Since she had been through the mill cramming her whole life into a few suitcases, she knew the routine. Finally, the time had came! She sent in her two week notice, printed off her flight information, had bags stuffed full and met up with me to spend her last night on the East Coast in the city of her departing flight.
    The two of us met our first cousin Hillary and her family for breakfast biscuits the next morning. We reminisced about some hilarious family moments, since we were neighbors growing up. Then we ran around fulfilling errands until she needed to get to the airport. I laughed and laughed at seeing all of her luggage- it was so slammed that she had to really apply pressure to get the zipper to move.
    When it came time for her to check both bags, they were weighed. To check two bags under 50 lbs. was going to cost $60- not bad considering she had 4 months of things in two bags. We anticipated that amount and already had it in hand. When the scales showed they were 56 lbs. and 51 lbs. the grand total came to $360. Wait- WHAT. We nearly lost it! 7 pounds was worth an additional three hundred dollars? Goodbye, United. We quickly sat down and began to shuffle things into her purse and duffel bag (since carry on items aren't weighed). After feeling like we were successful, Listi had one bag at 48.5 lbs. and another at 51 lbs. which rang up at a total of $160! We were livid! So walked back to the courtesy seats and shuffled some more, stuffing that duffel bag with more weight. The next time they were weighed they both passed requirements and she only paid $60 for both. The more we discussed it, the more aggravated we got- it just seemed wrong. Alas, it worked out so we eventually moved on from it.
     After meeting up with Hillary and Bentley in the airport, snapping some last minute pictures, it was time to see her leave. I couldn't help but think about her leaving for her mission, so similar yet so different entirely. As soon as she went through security I was able to text and call her, Facetime'ing when we wanted to. Yep, very different.
    She did have a funny experience during her first layover. She didn't realize that when they offered to check her duffel bag on the first plane that she would need to grab it before getting on the second. Just like that she left her bag in Texas! She spent the next three days without a pillow, sheets, snacks and a few other things she stuffed in there. A really nice friend offered to drive her thirty minutes to the city where the bag was eventually brought into. It made me very happy that someone was being charitable for her, when her family can't be there for her.
     Have fun in Idaho, Listi! See you at Christmas!
 

    This is the picture where I asked her to turn around, just to get a last photo to send to our parents. As you can see, this defiant lass didn't even hesitate to walk off though security. She literally never looked back! I wanted to laugh and smack her, simultaneously

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