HELLO GOODBYE

On March 24th I flew to Alberta to spend a week with my brother and his family. The weather wasn't very good that day in Toronto, freezing rain, snow, and ice pellets. I kept checking the status of my flight and it kept saying "on time", so Rob drove me to the airport as planned. I got checked in, through security and boarded the plane for my 11:15am flight, all on time. We went through the pre take off  instructions, and then we waited, and we waited and we waited some more. We sat on the tarmac for 3.5 hours before finally taking off for our 4.5 hour flight. We were told a lot of grounds workers had called-in due to the weather, and it delayed the luggage being loaded and there was also the wait for deicing.  Eight hours on the plane was going to come back to haunt me soon, but at the time I was just happy to finally land in Alberta.

I wish I had a picture of my welcoming party waiting for me when I finally landed. I was never so happy to get off a plane in my life. But seeing the joy in my sister in-law's face and my two nieces when I finally walked through those doors made it all worth it, and I know my face lit up like a Christmas tree upon seeing them as well.

The next three days with my brother and his family were great. We celebrated Easter and my oldest niece, Ashlee, had her 16th birthday while I was there as well.  

I woke up on the Monday not feeling so great, and spent the remainder of the trip resting at my brothers. I landed in Toronto late last Wednesday, and have been home recovering from an respiratory infection for the past week. I've spent a lot of the last week not only feeling sick, but feeling sorry for myself as well. How dare I get sick on my vacation, and while I am visiting family I only see once a year, not fair!!! We didn't get to do all the things we had planned to do while I was there, nor did Rob and I get to have a great long weekend together after I got back, all because I got sick.

It took a TV show to end my pity party. I'm still recovering from my illness, but at least I'm not feeling sorry for myself as well.

When I first heard about CBC's TV show, "Hello Goodbye", I knew I would love it. I've always enjoyed watching the coming and goings of people at the airport. This show is about just that, people in arrivals and departures. I've been watching season one while I've been home recovering. I haven't watched a show yet that hasn't moved me to tears, both happy and sad. I will never look at people in the airport the same way again, they all have a story to tell.

Watching other peoples stories made me appreciate mine. Opportunities, circumstances and life in general has me living far away from my family, any time I get to spend with them is precious. Sure it sucks that I got sick, but at least I had those 3 great days with them before hand. I had some awesome belly laughs with my sister in-law, celebrated my nieces 16th birthday with her, watched my nieces hunt for Easter eggs and made new memories with them all.

My brother was working when my plane landed which was why he wasn't at the airport to greet me, and he was also working the day I left, but he made sure to make a quick stop at the house to give me a goodbye hug, tell me he loved me, and also to tell me I was the "greatest Aunt ever", before I left. Highest praise possible to receive from him.

Sandy (sister in-law) and the girls drove me to the airport for my afternoon flight home, and as always, I never let anyone come into the airport when I am leaving. I don't like the "goodbye" part of visiting family, the hello's at the beginning are much more fun.