Here is her story: http://www.underanopensky.com/2013/10/the-girl-on-the-plane/
6 AM was incredibly too early for a pregnant mama to be flying. I had no choice but to change my flight to try to get out of Baltimore Maryland before hurricane Sandy hit. I was on my way to an unknown "home". My husband, Kyle, and I had been displaced for the last two months while we worked on transitioning to be closer to my parents and new opportunities for our growing family. God led us to Jacksonville Florida where we were brought a job.
6 AM with a hurricane looming and leaving behind our prior life, I was feeling pretty antisocial. I put my sweatshirt over my head and leaned against the window and tried to find any position that my 6 month pregnant belly could get comfortable in my alloted square foot of space. I noticed the girl sitting next to me looked like she was tired too.
As we landed in Atlanta I groaned about how I was going to have to rush to get to my 30 minute connection in a different terminal. I remember being so hungry and thinking I probably wouldn't have time to stop to grab a bite. I commented to the girl about how I might not make my connection. She asked me where I was headed and I told her Jacksonville Florida. She said "I'm from Jacksonville Florida too" and smiled. I think we exchanged a few more sentences and then proceeded to march off the plane to get to our next destination. I remember my heart lifting about leaving behind my friends and thought "If other people from Jacksonville are this nice (especially this early in the morning) then we are going to be just fine."
I rushed to my terminal and didn't see her along the way so I thought she might have a different connecting flight. To my great pregnant pleasure there was a Cinnabon right across from my connecting terminal! I grabbed my Cinnabon and got in line just in time to get onto my plane. As I boarded I noticed that she sat in the row right behind me. I thought "this is got to be one of those God moments". We ended up talking the whole rest of our connecting flight into Jacksonville where we exchanged information and discussed getting coffee and she offered her help with our move. When I got back to my moms house I told mom that I met a girl on the plane from Jacksonville and that we will totally be friends! Karina and I did end up getting that cup of coffee and I called her when we moved. Her husband Courtney and Kyle get along splendidly and the rest is history!
It is completely out of my comfort zone to strike up conversations with random strangers. I can't explain why it worked out but it did. I would say it just has to be one of those God things. He being my faithful friend knew I needed a friend and she has been a great friend. She opened her heart and her life to me and I to her. I am so grateful.
