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A Triple Southwest Connection

mwhalin
Explorer A

During the beginning of 2011, my Southwest Co-hearts Ana Schwager, Anabell Odisho, and I all found out we would be first-time aunts!  One by one, we each found out we would be welcoming nieces into the world.  We were beyond thrilled! 

Ana was the first of the group to become an aunt.  In early April, Ana and her family traveled from Nashville to welcome Ella Kate!  Much like her Aunt Ana, Ella Kate immediately showed her originality and Southwest enthusiasm, making her grand debut at exactly 7:37 p.m.—a true Southwest baby.

737

Next to don the title of “aunt” was Anabell.  Anabell and I were traveling to an event in San Antonio, when she got the news that her niece was on her way.  She quickly diverted her plans and hopped on the next LUV jet from San Antonio to San Diego.  Auntie Bell was able to get there in time and welcome her sweet niece, Sophie Eliza, on June 18, 2011.  Sophie shares a birthday with her mom and with Southwest Airlines, and not just any birthday—Southwest’s  40th!

Baby Sophie 

With all of these special Southwest babies being born, I desperately wanted to have a fun story to tell about my own niece’s arrival.  I hinted to my sister that it might be exciting if the baby was born at 7:37 or had some other interesting SWA “spin” to her arrival.  Not surprisingly, she was less enthusiastic about the suggestions as I was.  When the time came to meet our new little bundle of joy, my parents and I hopped on a red-bellied jet from Dallas to Denver.  I was able to be there with my sister and help welcomed Charlotte Elizabeth into the world.  Overwhelmed with LUV and gratitude for this precious and perfect addition to our family, I had completely forgotten about my hopes for a SWA aspect to her arrival.

A few weeks after I returned to Dallas, my sister sent me Charlotte’s newborn pictures.   They were all precious (I might be slightly biased), but one in particular caught my eye.

Third Baby
(Kim Jones Photography)

I was thrilled when I saw the perfectly shaped heart that had been hiding on the bottom of her tiny foot!  As it turns out, our Charlotte had a little Southwest LUV in her after all.

On behalf of Ella Kate, Sophie, and Charlotte, thank you, Southwest Airlines for giving three doting aunts the freedom to fly to see these special little girls.  And if they stay on the track they are on now, who knows, you might see them working together on a LUV jet in 2035.

Ella Kate
Ella Kate

Sophie
Sophie

Charlotte
Charlotte

3 Comments
rbarry
Employee
Employee
I LUV this adorable story! Great job, Monica!!
rbarry
Employee
Employee
Those babies are lucky to have you three for aunts!!
Jana_Hunter
Explorer C
Amazing story! Love the Southwest connections! So happy for all the aunts (especially Aunt Ana with Ella Kate!!!) So fun!!!