Cuz I'm Leavin on an Airplane... Don't know when i'll be back again

So in true Johnson family fashion the morning of my departure from the States was hectic and best described as flying by the seat of our pants. The morning which for me and for my mom was a continuation of the preceding two days was a hectic and emotional rigmarole that consisted of me essentially packing for a transatlantic MOVE all in one night. Needless to say as I begin to unpack upon my return to the UK from france, I will be writing back about the many and varied things i inadvertently left home. But finally as 6:00 am rolled around and the bags seemed stuffed to bursting the time came for my shower and getting dressed.
Once the house was awake it seemed the dragging hours of the night before were moving on fast forward now. Before anyone realized it was already 7:15 and well.... we were still at the house. As dad and I hurriedly dragged the large suitcases out the front door he casually asked whether or not I'd checked into my flight and confirmed my seat. The problem with that seeming innocuous question was that, dad had said he was going to do that since I was packing. So here we stood on the front porch basking in the unmittigated horror of the knowledge that neither of us had checked me into the flight, and to top things neither of us had any of the flight information or to that end what time the flight even took off.
On the heels of this revelation we discovered that David needed gas, dad had to take his own car to get me cash, and well there was not the impending dilemma of not actually knowing when I had to be at the airport. So began a mad dash... for me, a leisurely stroll for Dave and dad into their cars to begin this three car circus which would hopefully for me be only a one way trip.
When the two car contingent of my mother and brother finally made it into Newark having hit every single red light conceivable between our house and Newark Penn David remembers his need for gas and my mother thinks she has to accompany him because he needs to pay for it with her credit card. At this point an epic phonetag began between the three cars all while driving through Newark breaking I can only imagine how many traffic laws. Finally it was decided mom and I would continue to the airport dad would meet us there and Dave was off to get gas and then to negotiate Newark International Airport for the first time as a lone driver..... yea a comedy of errors all set to fail spectacularly on the morning of my departure.
The time now 8 o clock in the morning I pull up to terminal C of Newark at the departing flight check in gate when I remember that dad has my two bags which need to be checked in his trunk. Deciding getting to the desk was more important than waiting for the luggage I find the appropriate counter and very hurriedly check in. Apparently the flight is leaving at 9.... yes folks I checked into an international flight less than an hour before it took off.
Now begins the herculean effort that is getting in touch with my father on his cell phone. This whole answering his phone thing is hard enough when he's say at work or doing laundry but while driving, well, I might as well have been trying to build a nuclear reactor out of tooth picks. After several unsuccessful tries I get dad on the phone and inform him that the chekc in lady is holding off on letting the luggage get loaded onto the plane for my two bags but that if he doesn't hurry up my bags and possibly myself will not be on board that plane. So after several minutes of frantic phonecalls between the scattered members of my family we discern that dad is parking and dave may or may not be somewhere in that same parking structure and mom is lost in terminal C.
I'll not bore you all with the details but it was a very tense few minutes while the check in lady looked sternly on as I sat there waiting not so patiently for my parents to arrive. They did though, and my luggage miraculously made it onto the plane as did I. And seated aboard that plane I thought to myself.... at last I can enjoy this experience... little did I know what Heathrow had in store for me