At first the answer would be easy, right? Fly for free, but there is much more to it then just a plane ride home.
For starters, here is a picture of some of the planes we might be on. Not quite your commercial airliner huh?
We knew when we first moved out here that Matt was going to have more training in California and the Navy would only pay for him to fly back stateside. We figured no biggy, we would all fly back space a. Well, it turns out that Matt is not allowed to fly space a this time because he is coming back for training. If it was for a vacation, he could, but this time, he can't. So Rian and I are doing this alone.
We have absolutely no clue when we might be able to catch a flight back to the states. I'll only have 24 hours or less notice that a flight to California is available. So our bags are already packed. I have to call the terminal several times a day to see what flights are available, if any. Once we learn there is a flight, that does NOT mean that we will be on it. We have to be at the terminal for 'roll call' which is usually before 6 am and bring ALL our luggage, carry ons, carseat, and stroller.
Then we sit and wait to see if Rian and I make the flight. They only have a number of seats available and we are in category 5 out of 6, which basically means the bottom of the list. If we were flying with Matt, we would be category 3, but so much for that.
So if we do not make the flight, we load all our luggage back into the car, strap the carseat in and try again, and again, and again. Sometimes it can take weeks. Hopefully for us, it won't take long. Once we are told we made the flight, we go through security and are bused to these loving planes pictured above. I have no idea what type of military aircraft we will be on, but they all look like this. I have some descriptions of the planes we may be on and...well let's just say all I can do at this point is laugh and say "are you serious?"!
This is what I have learned about them so far: I do know it will be cold, some planes have the seats facing the rear, some aircrafts have a reputation for always breaking down, all are very noisy (they actually issue ear plugs to all passengers), some have basically a porta potty behind a screen, some have sidewall seats kind of similar to a hammock. They mostly all will be carrying cargo as well. But I have also learned that most of the time, they let you lay out a blanket on the floor to sleep or play on. They also let the kids run around a bit, so they don't have to be strapped in for 8 straight hours.
Our first layover will be in Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. We will most likely be there overnight, but they can't really tell me that information yet. So I will have to try to get lodging at the base hotel last minute because I can't make any reservations since I have no idea what day we'll be there. I cross my fingers we will have a room to stay in because staying overnight in the terminal with all my bags and a 2 year old does not sound like fun. But I guess it is do-able if it comes down to it.
Then we leave again, very early in the morning, to Travis Air Force Base, California. After another 8 hour flight, we will have to catch a shuttle to Oakland Airport about 1.5 hours away. Then we will have to purchase our tickets, go through security, and wait to catch another 1.5 hour flight to San Diego.
All this by myself, with a 2 year old. We could seriously be traveling for 48 hours! My carry on is so packed full of food, number one and lots of it, and toys, books, markers, anything to keep Rian entertained for so long.
Sometimes they do have flights that go directly from Guam to San Diego or Riverside (about an hour north of San Diego). They are few and far between, but we are praying for one of those. How awesome would that be to eliminate the entire Oakland Airport leg! Your prayers are welcomed too :)
I am grateful that this flight is basically free, but I do feel like I deserve some kudos for doing this. We'll see how it goes this time, I'm sure I'll be blogging about it. The Navy has already given us so many 'experiences' that we would have never had if Matt had not joined. And we've only been in it for such a short time. When I think about this trip ahead, some days I am more optimistic than others, but in the end I have to keep telling myself that like anything else in life....it is what you make of it.
Are you exhausted yet, because I totally am and I haven't even travelled yet! 
