Blog entry: Written Dec 30/09

I am currently sitting in Pearson airport - refusing to take off my jacket and hence boiling - waiting for my flight to board in about an hour. I had left my house around 1:30 pm, driving my dad's van for the last time this year, to make it to the airport...hoping I won't have to deal with any disagreements about carry-on baggage when I got there. Traffic was good and parking was easy enough to find, although of course there was some argument about where to park and telling dad not to worry about the trolley for the luggage (you'd think my dad was a baggage handler in another life).

As we waited in a fairly long line (though not as bad as it was the first time I left in August), Dad kept blaming mom for the trolley being pushed into the line posts - all the stuff I'm going to miss now that I'm leaving my home for 7 full months.

After about 30 minutes, we finally got through and dropped off the bags - but that left us over an hour and half before i would even have to make my way to security and through to the gate. We went for what has become our traditional Starbucks coffee and sat to spend the time without really talking about what we were afraid to acknowledge...that I would be leaving my family AGAIN!!!!

The time seemed to fly and I told my parents around 4 that I would have to leave - I didn't want to prolong the good-bye for them or for myself. Strangely enough, I was able to get through the security section in no time. It took me more time waiting for people to get through the searches than anything else. I kept turning back to wave good-bye, but as I passed through the metal arches of metal detector, I couldn't see them anymore. The guy that passed down the bags once they'd been put through the x-ray machine must have felt awkward as he passed my bags to me and I was trying to hold back the tears (and not exactly succeeding). Redressing myself as fast as I could (trying not to keep myself in that awkward limbo), I began walking to the gate that would lead me to my second home...and trying not to make too much of a fool of myself.

So, as any self-respecting woman full of emotion, I made my way to a convenience stand to purchase comfort food - hamburger and fries. It helped to take my mind off of my sadness for a while, so I was grateful for that. I then made my way to a payphone - using the allotted 50 cents I made sure to have for change - to try and call my family to let them know that I got through security okay. Seb didn't pick up, but I did leave a message. That was probably the better thing to happen - I'm sure I would have been a blubbering idiot at that point if I got a hold of my family.

Anyhoo, so now I sit and wait for a plane to board in about 30 minutes and I wanted to say a couple notes of thanks to all my family and friends who made my time at home such a wonderful and enriching time. I wish I had more time.

I wanted to thank my family (including Debbie, Wayne and the kids; Aunt Betty and Uncle Roy; The Rice/Heffernan family; and of course my Mom, Dad, Seb, Monica, Derwin and the rest of the Vasquez family) for all the great times we've had - starting with Monica and Derwin's housewarming party, including the games of Yahtzee in the kitchen at Christmas (to which I know mom was shocked I was playing), of course our Boxing Day Bonanza, and all the conversations we've had over the past couple of days. Thank you also to the family for the tickets to the Raptors game and the great time the 6 of us had (we won free pizza and the game...but none of us claimed the pizza the next day...DAMN!!!)

I want to thank my friends (including Catherine, Mark, Katie and family, Carolin, Glenn, John, Alex, Teresa, Joe, and Nichole) for taking time out of their busy schedules, sometimes last minute, to hang out, go for meals or make meals, enjoy a drink or ice-cream, and for putting up with my phone calls about questioning whether or not I should buy another laptop - as mine is still "in the shop" - and then helping me figure out how to transport files...even at odd hours of the morning. You guys are amazing and help me to see how much I am loved - outside my family, of course.

Either way, I just wanted to say a big THANKS and a message to you all that I hope you all appreciate how important family and friends are in the big scheme of life...not taking it for granted. I love you all!!!

P.S. After writing this post, I called my sister's cell again but hung up before it went to voicemail then tried my cell and strangely got a hold of my family. Seb...you owe me $1 when I get back...LOL.