Sunday, August 7, 2011

Airport Goodbyes

Oh man I love the airport. Always a bit of tension, but you know you are on your way to somewhere new. I guess that's easy for me to say as I am usually the one leaving.

My mum & dad are visiting my Aunt & Uncle in Northern California and it was so good to see them all. Video chat can often seem so intimate, regular voice chat is the route we usually take. Kinda makes days like today when I do try to look more presentable for our chat more special.

Plus- my mum reminded me to look at some shots she had posted from my nephew's visit.

Look at that handsome family! My dad, Gavin, & Kyle
And somehow I had never seen photos she took at the airport on the day we left. So happy...and sad. Such is the nature of good-byes. Even just good-bye for now.

American Gothic airport style
A kiss before leaving for Iceland
My daddio
Ian & Greg

Greg & ebe
My new favorite pic of my parents
Best of all, the p's bought their plane tickets and will be on their way (with beloved cat Bellatrix) this October. Trip planning, ever our forte, is once again necessary. Eastern Europe, Croatia, Austria, and tons of bits in between are just waiting to be explored. They don't even know what they are getting into. Especially Bellatrix.

Update:

After posting about one of my favorite movies, Love Actually (I know, I know - romantic comedy with giant cast. I have my reasons.), I realized I was remiss in not posting about my greatest airport moment.

Airports…nothing excites me like the chance to travel. Always a hectic anxious-ridden place, I usually can't wait to get out of there. But some important moments happen between the gates and the exit.

Everyone has a poignant airport moment and mine happened 4 years ago when we returned from our year abroad. We had made it in Berlin for a year, traveled around Europe for a month, bought lederhosen & dirndl, and we were flying back to Seattle. We changed in the Vancouver airport bathroom and giggled at each other’s outfits. Impatiently, we waded through customs and picked up our bags on those huge Costco sized rolling carts. We were finally approaching the exit and I caught a glimpse of our families. Ian’s grandparents, parents, my parent's new German exchange student Thomas, and right there – my mom & dad. I broke into a run, surely a sight in my drindl with cart. Dodging my fellow travelers, weaving in and out, the tears were already streaming down my face as I ran into my mom's arms. And there was my dad, laughing and hugging me too. Finally, I was home.

3 comments:

~ cheryl said...

It is sad that this photo is your favorite of your parents - as they look like bizarro-possessed wierdos!

Jack Scott said...

It must be really sad leaving your parents. I know it's not so easy going back and forth to the States.

Unknown said...

Always a few tears, but technology has made changing landscape so much easier. Skype, facebook, & blogs keep my parents more informed of what I am doing in Berlin than when we are in Seattle.

We're Back in Berlin Ja!

We're Back in Berlin Ja!
ebe & ian at Yak-toberfest 2008