Random tidbit about my ex- life.

Today would have been my 5 year anniversary with American Eagle Airlines. That means that if I had not quit, I would have been finally able to fly anywhere for free. Yes, free to anywhere American Airlines/Eagle flies- Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, Tokyo...free. It brings a tear to my eye (okay, several tears...buckets of tears) to think about what that could have meant for me and my family. How many wonderful once in a lifetime experiences that could have been. I am so grateful for the experiences I was able to have, I just wish that I was able to share them with the ones that I love.

However the flight attendant job is not a practical for a mom. I know several people who have done it but I don't see how. If I had actually had a schedule to anticipate, maybe things would have worked out. But after all this time, I would still be on what is called "Reserve." That means I know for the month what my days off will be and that's it- always 11 days off. On the day before I was supposed to work, I would have to call an automated system that would tell me what my assignment was for the next day. It could be a 6 day trip, airport standby, or I could have been assigned a home sit- to wait for a flight there with a 2 hour call out notice. I don't know how many days I would hang out at home without the slightest clue as to where I would be sleeping that night- maybe home, maybe Buffalo, NY, maybe Lawton, OK. It was so nerve racking! I ended up staying glued to the computer checking to see how many people were ahead of me to be called and how many trips were open. Then, once assigned a trip, I could have been reassigned at any moment to go somewhere else. The days I was working, I belonged to them and they could change my schedule 5 times in one day- actually not that uncommon. If you ever see a chipper flight attendant burst into tears near landing-don't worry that you are about to crash. Be assured that (s)he is a poor reserve who thought (s)he was going home at the end of a trip only to be sent a message through the pilots that the trip has been extended. If they were really short handed, they could take away your day off! You never answered your phone on your day off to a strange number- ever! That is no way for a mom to live! So when Finley was born, I took as long of a leave of absence as possible, and finally, in February did not return to work when asked back.

It really does make me proud to think of the experiences that I had. As much as I complained about it and tried to avoid working, I always had a surreal feeling when working- like, this is my life! This is too good to be true! How much fun is this? It's like I knew it wasn't going to last forever. I even got teary eyed while working at times out of sheer joy- like while serving drinks and looking out the window at the clouds flying by and thinking- I get paid for this! Don't get me wrong though- the job, for the most part, totally sucked. The crazy schedule that made you have to nap in the airplane in either searing heat or freezing cold. Yes, I would curl up in the seats where thousands of people's dirty butts have sat. And airport food is horrendous so on top of the 2 bags I had to carry around with all of my clothes for 6 days and necessary equipment, I carried a lunch cooler. I had a pilot say, "You're a flight attendant, not a camel."

Anyhow, I could go on forever. I am just trying to process it all. I miss the lifestyle but I wouldn't go back to that craziness knowing my little family was at home. Though I look forward to the possibilities when I am an empty nester!