Maine and Matinicus!

So I'm finally getting around to blogging about my trip to Maine and Matinicus--2 weeks ago! Tres went with me which was awesome--I was so glad to have him there, and for him to meet all of the family...not only the family, but a ton of other friends too--he really was a trooper.

So, here is our plane in Austin.....ready to take off!

And we were waiting here to be called to board the plane first--I suppose I should tell more of the traveling story...

So, starting a few weeks prior to our travels--Tres' dad had bought a book all about disabled traveling, particularly on planes. So we'd read quite a few parts of the book that pertained to what we needed to know. The book basically cued us in on regulations, laws, rights, etc. So that we'd be very well versed in our rights as travelers and all of that. We also had each spent quite a bit of time on the phone with JetBlue in order to make sure they were ready for us, and understood our situation. They seemed to be on top of things, but we figured we couldn't be proactive enough about it.

So we got to the airport in Austin--Tres' parents drove us there, and helped us check our bags in. Tres had 2 bags so he had to pay for the extra bag. We checked them through and then headed to security.

At security I had to pass Tres off to one of the TSA people because he had to go through a special line to be checked. By the way, I forgot to mention that we decided to travel without Tres' power chair. We were unsure how well it would travel--and so he spent the entire time in Maine in a manual chair. It was so weird seeing him in a manual chair, I'm so used to him moving himself all over the place, it was so different having to move him everywhere. But I'll get to more of that later.

Anyway, I ended up taking Tres' backpack with his laptop, my backpack with my laptop--plus I was wearing a belt, had to take my shoes off. Plus Tres' medication--and we forgot that there were 2 bottles of water in Tres' backpack. Oops...but I made it through with little trouble and was able to put everything back together fairly easily.

The next thing was we were unsure how the loading on the plane would go. The book we read told us that airline employees were not allowed to lift passengers due to lawsuits. Which makes sense. So I was prepared to do all of the lifting. But when we got there, JetBlue was totally prepared for our arrival. 2 men took Tres down the jetway, and transferred him to the straight back chair, which is designed to fit down the aisle of the plane. Then they transferred him into his seat on the plane. They made it so easy!

So...15 minutes on the plane, and Tres was already napping. Honestly...

So we made it to Boston, where 2 more men got on the plane to do the same process in reverse. JetBlue is amazing, and I don't think that any other airline would have done as well as they did to help us out. They have the BEST customer service I've ever experienced on an airline.

Janna and Trish met us in Boston--it was so fun to see them and get to hug them!

We went to Nick's Roast Beef for dinner--yum! And then I was able to drive them around the Northshore of Boston a bit. We drove around Gordon so I could show Tres, and Janna and Trish both wanted to see it too. And then Trish happened to mention she wanted ice cream. And I knew just the place...Captain Dusty's in Manchester-by-the-Sea, which is where I used to live. I was able to show Tres where I used to live both in Manchester and in Ipswich. It was so fun to get to show him those things--even though it was brief.

Then we headed up to Maine!

The next morning we drove up to Rockland to fly out to Matinicus! Again, there were wonderful men waiting to help get Tres into his seat on the plane. This time the system was just a bit different than on the large planes...

This is the best shirt...

In the plane

Coast of Maine!

There's Matinicus!

Matinicus Harbor

And of course, the airstrip

We were greeted by a great group of family---it was so nice to be out there!!!

Matt and Brendie, hanging out on the couch.

Our first afternoon there, we headed to the beach! Thanks to the men, Tres got to sit on the beach with us too

Janna, Alex and Laura

Matt brought the skiff around and gave some rides

And Laura did what she does best.... :)

Riding in the truck

Oh Brendie....

I love my siblings :) I miss them terribly...

So, while we were out there, we had our annual whiffle ball game!

Grammy rocked on 3rd base :)

Janna...well...she tried hard...

My team's batting lineup :)

One of the funniest parts of the entire game. Mom catching, Rachel batting and Jim pitching. It was like a comedy routine!

Hit it Alex!

And Rachel...well, I'm not sure what she was doing---but I love this picture :)

And here is our resident farmer...he was the umpire for our game, and Janna instructed him to look like a farmer for this pic. LOL

Later that night...

One of many beautiful sunsets

Tres' first lobster ever! He liked it...but didn't want anymore after this. LOL. I however, am still craving more lobster. I really want a lobster roll actually from Linda Beans...so if you're wondering what to get me for my birthday...think lobster :) Go figure...

Kayte (Matt's girlfriend), Aidan, and Janna

And our annual water balloon fight!

And the annual Ryan/Janna beatdown. Janna can still win...but I'm wondering if it's the last year that she can.

ahhhh....

Kayte was sooo tired--and Aidan was in love :)

whipped cream...I love them.

We finally got to bury Zoe too. She now is resting on Matinicus, her favorite place on earth. We miss her :(

My favorite sunset of the week!

Grandchildren picture!

Libby shot--we did this same one a few years ago too---and recreated it because it was so good before.

The whole gang!

Cousin pyramid

Then sadly it was time to go. We had to fly off of the island a night before we planned to due to unruly weather coming in.

The family held the tail of the plane down at the request of the pilot, Kevin, so that it would be easier to lift Tres into the plane

Ready to take off!

As we sped down the runway....JUMPING JACKS, JUMPING JACKS!! I love my family :)

So the next day, we met up with Grampi who drove up from NYC to meet Tres and spend some time with us! Sadly, I didn't get a picture of Grampi...and I'm bummed I didn't. Sorry Grampi! (Guess you'll just have to come to Texas) :)

Here we are in Freeport Harbor. We had lunch at Haraseeket Lunch and Lobster. yum. I had a Lobster Roll--and Tres had a fish basket. He loved it, he isn't used to fresh fish.

We also made a stop at LLBean so that Tres could experience the real thing. :)

Then that night we went to Gritty's with a bunch of my friends!!! It was sooooo fun to see them all! I miss them so much.

Here is Sarah Rollins (who actually lives in CO now but happened to be in Maine the same week as me!), Laura, me, Trish, and Sarah Grinder.

Matt Grinder, Sarah Rollins, Craig

Our last day in Maine, my friends from Gordon came up to Freeport for a BBQ!! We try to do these at least once a year, and I'm hoping they'll continue whenever I'm home. I miss them so much too.

Here we have Lizzie, Matt, me, Kevin, Kim, Nicole, Izzie, Andrew and Tres.
After this, Kim and Kevin drove us down to Boston to our hotel where we were staying for the night. We had an early morning flight.

The next morning we finally made it to the airport after a fiasco with the front desk trying to get an accessible taxi. On top of everything else, we had my cat Jezebel with us...she never made it to Texas before when mom and Janna came and brought Blue. Jezebel had hidden...so I had planned to take her back with me this time. So, with drugged up Jezebel on Tres' lap, we headed into the airport. We had one of the Skycap guys help us get our luggage to the counter. We got up to the counter, and found out that because one of Tres' bags was an "assistive" bag (meaning it has his assistive items in it) that we don't have to pay for it! So...that is fabulous to know for the future. We no longer have to pay for the second bag. How wonderful!

So this time through security, I had everything I mentioned before going through security in Austin...plus a drugged kitty cat. As I was passing Tres off to a TSA guy, a TSA lady walked by me and saw the look on my face, and said "if you need help just let me know" I didn't even miss a beat and said "I need help" So she was wonderful and helped me pull the laptops out and put them in bins, Tres' medication, my shoes, my cell phone in my back pocket--because I had to carry Jezebel through the scanner while her carrier went through the xray machine. We got through with no issues.

By the time we made it to the gate, we had to call Tres' dad because one of the wheels on his chair had been falling apart for the past few days. The wheel was really starting to wobble and we were both wondering if the wheel was just going to collapse. So we called his dad to make sure he'd bring Tres' power chair to the airport with him.

Getting back on the plane was just as easy as it had been flying up--as was getting off the plane. Once again, I can't say it enough--JetBlue was amazing!

Back in Austin, his dad was waiting at the baggage claim, WITH THE POWER CHAIR! :) It was so wonderful to see Tres back in his power chair again--not only because he could move himself around again, but also because it meant I didn't have to push him anymore :)

Overall the trip was so fun--I loved every moment.

Everyone has been asking what I think after doing Tres' care for that long--and several of you have remarked on how tired I seemed by the end. Well, yeah...I was being woken up at 7 (and 4:30 for meds) every day, and because Tres was in his manual chair, I had to help him do everything. Whereas at home, he's almost totally independent on basic things like getting water, taking his pills, brushing his teeth, etc....in Maine I had to do it all for him. Or at least get him to where he could do it, but still, I had to get it all for him. Plus, while in Freeport, every time we got in or out of the car---I was moving him back and forth, each time. So yes, because of all of those extra things...it was exhausting in many ways...but it was also wonderful in so many ways. Spending the time I got to spend with him, with my family, with my friends was fabulous. Tres and I have had many conversations about his care, and he is (and always has been) adamant about the fact that I will not be doing it all by myself on a regular basis. And this just confirmed that fact. Not because I'm incapable. I've actually been told by him (and his parents) that I've not only learned his care incredibly fast, but that I'm one of the best nurses he's ever had. And he's serious about that. But because it is too much to have to do, especially with a job, and particularly when children come along down the road. So there will be someone else coming in to do those things. On top of that, times when I do do his care...we'll switch most of the things that need to be done to the night time--so that I don't have to get up so early. That will help a lot. So anyway, I know a lot of you are concerned about this--and for good reason. But please trust me when I tell you this is well covered ground between us (and his parents), and isn't something that will be overlooked. EVERYONE is and I mean everyone (friends, family, etc here in Texas) is concerned about me getting overwhelmed...no one expects me to do it all alone all the time. Myself included.

But, Tres has talked non stop since getting home about how much he enjoyed meeting everyone, and how loved and accepted he felt by everyone--and he loved Maine too. Thinks it's beautiful (no kidding!)

This coming weekend Tres and I and his parents are headed up north to Wichita Falls, TX to visit his maternal grandmother and a few aunts and uncles! So I'm very excited to meet more of his family. I've already met his siblings and their families, and his paternal grandparents and an aunt. So I'm eager to meet more!

In other news: I'm on the worship team at Tres' church. I love his church, I feel so at home there and the people there have just embraced me so quickly and warmly. I love it. It is such a great church. I'm also probably going to end up being one of the leaders of the youth group (afterall I am dating the Youth Pastor...) but I have gone on a few of the 'events' with the youth, and have really grown to start to love them--and they're in need of more leaders anyway. The one thing that holds me back a little is that I still live so far away. I live about 45 minutes from the church. Greg (the pastor, and one of Tres' best friends) is looking to help me find an apartment within the church--so I can move out there closer to the church and to Tres (since we live about an hour apart) Hopefully something will come about soon that way. Greg thinks there are probably a few people in the church who have a garage apartment, or something similar that I can either stay in for free, or for a reduced rate--which would be awesome since I could save up a bunch of money that way.

So--that is the latest. Sorry for the length of this one! Must get better at blogging more often. For whatever reason, I got out of the habit when I moved to Texas. Must try to get back in the habit...