Friday Freestyles... The "She's There Safely" Edition.

Well... I successfully got my sister packed up and out of here.

I knew it was real when she sent me a picture of the logo of an airline she was flying to Abu Dhabi.

Man... I saw that Arabic writing and I started wailing all over again.

I haven't posted all week because she and I have been O_O all week. It's not the big stuff one has to do, it's all that little stuff that has to get done. And when folks found out the exact day she was leaving, they came out of the woodworks, wanting to spend time with her. She doesn't know how to say no, she was trying to accomodate people. So she was a little behind. She had a 5:00 am flight and neither of us didn't get any sleep. I told her not to worry about cleaning up her room and bathroom and that I would get that. She needed to just make sure that she packed EVERYTHING she needs.

(She left a pair of flip flops here. They are under the coffee table in the living room. I know because Sister Callie Jo was laying on them. Sister Callie Jo misses her already).

Her flight from Atlanta to Chicago was at 5:00 am. We got to the airport at 2:00 am, and the gate for check-in didn't open until 3:30 am. We hijacked one of the baggage handler's carts (she had 3 suitcases, a duffle bag and a backpack. We rolled that down a ways until we found seats where people weren't asleep, and we sat and talked. All of a sudden we saw folks crowding in like roaches, so we got in line. My sister only had to pay $125 for extra luggage, whereas, as she found out later, others paid $300-$400 for extra luggage. So that worked out well.

I got teary eyed when she went through security. I wanted to follow her.

I was all choked up on the short 10 minute drive home. "I feel so deflated. My heart is so deflated," I wailed.

I got home around 4:20 am, and laid down. She sent a pic of that airline logo a little later... and I got choked up all over again. LadyTee called and we talked and I felt better.

I lingered around the house all day. There were several times where I went to holler if she wanted something to eat... then I realized she wasn't there.

SIGH.

Her flight to Abu Dhabi was 13 hours. There was a whole crew of them going, even people from New Zealand, Africa, etc., and they were all on that flight. Someone was even posting on their teacher facebook page during the flight, so it was cool to know before I went to bed that they were in the air and on their way. I woke up to a text message from my sister saying that she landed.

And can you believe that I have talked to her on the phone TWICE today, for a total of an hour.

She has interesting stories, including almost getting into it with a cab driver. She was counting that foreign money to slow and he went off on her.

I TOLD her not to venture out alone. Go with a buddy. And she better understand that we can't just up and go get her. She ain't in Alabama. She half a world away.

Hopefully she will get it.

So that made me feel better, that talking to her. And it sounds like she's in the next room!

So the week is over. This has been a major change for her.

And for me.

(And for the good Sister Callie Jo).

So safe travels and safe adventures, little sister.

Come back and tell us all about it!