So my dad's plane is right there! I was beyond relieved, I tell ya! Phew! : )
You see a close up of the ambulances on the actual runway/tarmac? Ummmm talk about a total freak out! I was a total nervous wreck here!
Okay, so we got to the airport about an hour early. We bought the boy's a large french fry from Mc D's to share while we waited and killed some time at Narita airport. We did this because we knew we were all planning to go to a Chinese restaurant after we picked up my dad. That was the plan. So just 1 large fry for snacking for the boys. Noboru and I each had a hot caramel machiatto from Starbucks. I also browsed Lush a bit at Narita airport as well. Finally Noboru said, let's go outside to watch my dad's airplane land. I thought, "okie dokie"....I was happy about going to be seeing my dad, so what the heck, you know what I mean? So we went to the upper level and brr it was freezing cold. I worried if the kids would be freezing out there. But then we looked off in the distance and saw flashing ambulances on the actual runway! We then turned around and noticed above where we were, there were so many reporters both filming and clicking pictures of the commotion on the runway. Okay, around here is when a mild panic sets in! I didn't want to scare the kids. But I told Noboru, "it wouldn't be my dad's airplane would it?" At that point, Brandens said, "mommy is grandpa going to crash?" Ahhhh talk about getting total goosebumps! I said, let's go inside and find out what's going on! The look on my face, you guys! What are the odds? Nah, it couldn't be my dad's plane, could it? Shit!
We go inside and these little silver poles around inside the airport, errrr that's funny, I've never seemed to notice them before are blinking red!!! My sweet subtle husband said, "wow whatever it is it's a very bad sign, that means it's an emergency" Wahhhh! Now complete panic sets in! I told Noboru to phone someone, one of his coworkers or friends and ask what is going on. Is it a NWA airplane? Was it my dad's plane? It must have been my nervousness because it seemed he moved about the speed of the slowest turtle around!!! Grrrr! I was getting a bit grouchy. Stressed. Meanwhile he played email tango with a coworker! OM lord! At a time like this nonetheless! After a few minutes (seemed like hours!!!), he said, no it's not your dad's airplane. I went like, "phew"! Let out a loud sigh of relief. And am currently saving my stress heart attack for another time! Turns out, it was Singapore airlines and one of the tires busted or whatever and so they would be landing minus 1 tire. Yikes! I felt badly for them. And we found out later they were fine. We did go back outside to be able to see my dad's actual airplane land and actually pull into the gate. My dad mentioned they circled Narita airport for about a good 25 minutes and I told him about the trouble with the other airplane.
2 very blurry pictures. And I usually take good pics. But this was my dad after he just exited the airplane and was walking through the corridor before he hit the immigration line and got his luggage and stuff. There is a restaurant area where we can see the passengers get off the airplanes, that's how I got this shot.
He was walking with a "30 something" lady who apparently was originally from Guam but now lives in Honolulu and she was transferring airplanes. She was chatting with my dad and he said she was very friendly and nice. He told her his daughter lives in Japan with her husband and 2 grand kids. And he said he showed her a few pics of B and N, his grand kids, that he just happened to have in his wallet, lol! Typical grandpa!
Sorry about the blurriness. My dad is the guy in the vanilla colored fleece jacket chatting with the friendly gal in the black fleece! Man, I watched them from afar and they were in a deep chitter chatter the whole walk down to immigration, meanwhile she transferred planes. Ah well, my dad has a daughter that age, me! So he feels like he's just chatting with a daughter type. : )
Man, one thing I love about my dad visiting, well besides the actual company of my dad is the goodies he brings with him! Woohooo! He brought the boys 2 DVD's, another Spongebob and some movie about a zeebra? Who knows, lol! And he brought me, Parents magazine, and he knows I am a popcorn maniac, so he brings large amounts of that. And some raisin and butter bread! Oh man! I can only tell you the bread was gone by the next day by noon...it was totally gone by then! : )
We did hit the Chinese restaurant after we left the airport. My dad loved it! We all ate, and went home. My dad showered and then the boys and I showered and bathed after that. My dad sat on the couch in his sweatpants and t shirt, Noboru did the same. The kids fell asleep. And I sat in my jammies on the couch as well. Munching popcorn and watching American Idol repeats. We were laughing so hard. And it's not that we're cruel. But Simon is just so honest and my dad and I agree with Simon so much! We're not too crazy about Paula, she's sorta a phony baloney! And some of the singers who actually think they sing great but end up singing badly or they wear weird costumes. It's just hilarious. My dad thinks some of the people aren't really "all there". But anyway...we watched American Idol and then we all hit the hay!
ETA, mostly all of you know. But in case a few don't. My dad and my mom divorced when I was little. I love my mom but I am a daddy's girl. I actually asked to live with my dad versus my mom. And without going to much into it, I don't get along with my step dad too well. But I love my mom too bits and she loves me. But I was pretty lucky being raised by my dad and with my huge extended both sides of family in Denver, so I lucked out. My dad helped me, pick out my very first bra, no mater how embarrassing that was for him. Yes I am an only child. Helped me pick my prom dress, took me to the salon. Taught me how to drive. And gave me away at my wedding. He's my best friend. I love my dad. My dad has had heart bypass surgery around 10 years ago. However, the year Noah was born, my dad who was living alone in my childhood home I grew up in. My dad ended up having a heart attack at work. He was in hospital. I was about 8 month's pregnant with Noah at the time and my dad didn't want anyone to tell me to cause me to worry. And then about a month later he suffered a heart attack at home for the memorial day weekend. And he actually phoned me in Japan and told me of his chest pain. I couldn't fly because by this time I was just about to have Noah in about 3 weeks and they won't let pregnant women that far along fly! So after I had Noah, and he got his passport about 2 weeks later, I took off to Denver to be with my dad. He lived in Denver alone for about 9 month's after that, until last February, we both decided my dad who had since retired from work due to the heart attacks. He would sell his home for a good amount of money I might add and instead buy himself a gorgeous condo in Guam. This way I being the only real care taker of my dad, could be closer to him. So that is the short version of how and why my dad now lives in Guam. This coming April will be exactly 1 year that he's lived there! It's a real nice thing knowing that if anything happens to my dad, I can fly to Guam in 3 short hours. It's best for everyone, my dad was able to retire and now spends the rest of his days swimming laps in his swimming pool everyday! And looking at coconut trees. Meanwhile, he can see Branden and Noah anytime he wants. He can fly here or we can fly there. Okay so now that you know this....now you can understand the panic I had when I saw ambulances on the runway! I was beyond relieved to find out my dad was okay and the other plane landed safely as well. I just think I'd be absolutely lost without my dad! : )
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