Flying the Friendly Skies

I'd be remiss if I didn't post a word or two about the trip Jude and John Patrick took last weekend to Neptune Beach, Florida, to see our friends Troy and Cyndi and their children, Wolf, Scout and Finn. Cyndi is Jude's best friend (they went to law school at Vanderbilt together), a fellow lawyer and a mommy three times over. Her daughter, Finn, was born about two months before John Patrick, so Cyndi has been an invaluable resource for Jude (and me) as we find our way as first time parents.

Normally, Jude takes a trip to see Cyndi each year in late July or early August. Cyndi reciprocates in the fall, when she and her family come to Nashville and stay with us the weekend of our annual "Leaf Party." Over the years, particularly before they moved home to Florida from Nashville, Jude and I spent a lot of time with Cyndi and Troy. Simply put, they're two of the best, most fun people we know and we think the world of them.

Now, about that trip. Obviously, Jude wasn't going to drive to Florida, so Friday morning, she loaded John Patrick in her Honda Pilot, along with her suitcase, diaper bag, purse, stroller, etc., and headed for the Nashville airport. She was delighted to spend a couple of hurried minutes at the airport with her father, "Jim Dad" White, whose flight from Jacksonville arrived just as Jude's was preparing to depart. Fortunately, her Southwest flight to Jacksonville was right on time and it wasn't full. As a result, she and John Patrick had a row of seats to themselves, which was convenient. She lifted up the armrest and laid him down on the seats beside her, shortly after takeoff. He slept almost the entire flight. Nothing to this travelling with a 4-month old thing, huh?

Cyndi met Jude and John Patrick at the airport in Jacksonville, after which they drove to the Baines' house in Neptune Beach, about a half mile from the ocean. Jude and John Patrick had a wonderful visit with the entire Baines family. John Patrick made his first visit to the beach on Saturday, where Jude dipped his feet in the Atlantic Ocean. If he's like his daddy, he will grow to love the beach and the ocean.

It's always great when Jude gets to spend time with Cyndi. In fact, when I spoke to her on the telephone Saturday and, really, throughout the weekend, I noticed a different tone or sound in her voice. She's just so relaxed and happy to be around Cyndi. I think it really recharges Jude's batteries, so to speak, when she's able to spend time with her best friend. It's a special thing to have a relationship like that with someone.

Sunday afternoon, the travel gods turned on Jude, as they are wont to do. Jude's flight on Southwest was delayed (imagine that) and, of course, there wasn't an empty seat on the airplane. John Patrick wasn't too happy and cried for a large part of the flight back to Nashville. Seated near the rear of the airplane, Jude stood up and walked with him some, which helped a little bit. There's only so much you can do, though, with a crying infant on an airplane.

After we put John Patrick to bed Sunday night, I asked Jude if she would make the trip again, knowing what she knows now. She paused, thought about it for a minute, then said, "probably not by myself."