Return to Iowa

2 weeks ago today I returned to Iowa. The trip started by our early rising on Tuesday Dec 20th - our cab was waiting at 6 am and we made the ride to David then the flight to Panama City. The airport in DaviOr taked is undergoing a lot of construction as it will soon ( and soon is relative as nothing moves fast in Panama) their will be direct flights from the US to David.  This will save a lot of travel time as now one has to travel across Panama City by cab to a small airport for the flight.  Or take the 7 hour bus trip..
Our flight was uneventful - the driver was waiting for us and we were delivered to the hotel safe and sound although it did not take me long to remember that while riding in a cab there it is best to just shut my eyes.
We chose to stay this time at the Country Inns and Suites on the Canal - wonderful views out of our balcony to the ships as they approached the locks.
Bud had come with me this time as we had an appointment with a lawyer to discus our getting our Pensionada.  We are checking into this form of an extended visa that would allow us to come and go in and out of  Panama without having to do a border hop after 90 days.  We would also then be able to get a 25% discount on all travel including flights- hotels - food - entertainment. 
This attorney was a woman and very nice and spoke excellent English and was able to answer all of our questions in a little under an hour, and then it was back to the hotel.  Here we were in the City after spending 2 months in a small village and we are both so tired we can hardly move so all we did was grab a quick dinner and back to the room and both of us were asleep by 8:30. 
The next morning I was up early and on my way to the airport by 6.  We used the same driver for both days and he spoke little English but I am happy to say that my Spanish lessons were paying off.  I learned he has a grandchild, has driven a taxi for 15 years and does not live in the city. But it was still a long ride with with long lapses of conversation!!
Tocumen airport has to be one of the tightest in security.  I stood in line to get my boarding pass for close to half an hour then went through one security that included opening my suitcase and a "full" patting down.  I then went through a second luggage search and another pat down before boarding the plane.  Overall  Tocumen is a very clean and pleasant airport with nice shops and good food.
My flight was late taking off making me late in arriving in Atlanta where in a little over an hours time I needed to get through immigration and customs.  I was surprised when they announced that we needed to have our passport ready as we got off the plane as immigration was waiting there and did look.  Then at customs they once again had a guard waiting at the line to look at our passport and actually held it up to my face to see if I matched the picture.  Being I only had my carry-on I was at the front of the line which evidently meant that I needed to be a part of the full body scan and then ANOTHER pat down.  I have never been felt up so much in my life!!!! By this time  I knew time was short in getting to my next flight so I flew through the airport - grabbed a lunch and knew I needed to get to the bathroom before boarding and in my rush ran right in a door and was all the way to the back when it hit me that there were urinals - yes I had ran right into the men's room.  I am sure my face was red but the only eye contact I made was to the guy coming in the door as I made a mad dash out and mumbled something about wrong door!!!. No I did not run right into the ladies room but took off toward the gate and stopped at a bathroom much farther down.  With a sigh of relief I sank into a chair to eat my lunch and my "good" fortune continued as they immediately called my flight to board so I shoved down lunch took a big gulp of my pop and boarded.  I am not sure just what the big rush was as soon as they got us all on they announced that the stewardesses were waiting for 2 carts of ice and drinks and it took 20 minutes to get them loaded and we were off for Chicago.
I spent the entire trip just knowing that when I got off the plane that Kinzlee and Jes were going to tell me that the baby was coming and we were headed to Iowa City but no that did not happen.  What did happen was that we made it as far as Rockford when we go the call that yes Emily was in the hospital and they baby was coming so my feelings were just off by a couple of hours. Little did I know that it was going to be a long few days.........