a trip to the airport with tickets but no luggage

i was trying to fly back to indiana on christmas so i could see my family. when i changed stores, my time off changed. so i can't come home for christmas, but i can spend four days around new year's without using vacation. yeah for my new schedule!
but that means i have to change my flight, hello $100 (per person) fine. but that's okay, i don't mind, it's worth it to see my mamsis (mom).

log onto expedia to change flights...
oh no, you have paper tickets, (from two different airlines) you have to call to make the change
(i hate talking to people on the phone)
expedia: you have to pay $100 to change and can use your american miles until June
(i don't want to fly american, i want to fly frontier both ways in January.)
expedia: here are the numbers for frontier and american, they can help you.
this is when i start getting crabby and make my husband call american to cancel that part of the flight.
so he cancels that leg of the journey and i call frontier
frontier: you can apply this leg of the journey to the january trip but it will be easiest to go to the airport for that (easier for whom?)

so we go to the airport this morning. and wait in line
us:we need to change our flights
at the frontier counter: but this is with american
we explain what we are trying to do
frontier: i'll have to call the help desk, (minutes on the phone) you need to go over to american, they can make the change.
(okay)

we stand in line at american
american: what are you trying to do?
we explain.
they she said "why did you have to come to my counter?"
but she was very nice and accommodating, even looking for cheaper flights for us and telling us how nice and patient we were compared to the jerks she usually deals with. i told her what i did and she laughed.

end result: i'm coming home for four days in December!