Farewell... but not goodbye

Well, it's been 4 days so far in our new home in Texas.  I want to share the events of the day I left.  I will post again with what we've been doing the past 4 days.  But for now....

Well first of all, my farewell at the airport was so perfect!  Of course, it can always be better.  My dad and my sister-in-law were going to come see me off, but could not make it due to unforeseen circumstances.  I was disappointed, as were they, but I totally understood.  The only downside was that I didn't feel like I got that final hug and words of goodbye.  I don't know, maybe it was for the best.  But I know they would have been there if they could.  So my four bestest friends came!  I wasn't expecting this.  I had thought of asking, but didn't want anyone to feel guilted into coming, nor did I want them to feel bad if they couldn't.  So no expectations.  But at our final playdate the day before they all started talking about coming.  I was so excited.  My very best friend of 25 years and her hubby are the ones who took me in for the 4 days after Sean left for Texas.  We had planned for her to take me to the airport, but since I was driving my brother's car for the week (who was in TX with Sean), I ended up driving myself so he could simply drive himself home.  It worked out great!  Michelle said she would meet me there, but honestly I wasn't going to be surprised if she didn't come.  She has been so rational and logical about my moving that I thought she would rather end it on the unemotional, easy "see you later", that we had at her house that morning as I rushed to the airport.  But I was so excited when she walked through those doors at the airport.  Sean's dad also came out to see us off.  He mostly spent time with Emery and I'm so glad he did.  He needed that!  So it was Bill and my 4 girls!  ... Michelle, Lisa, Tonia and Heather.  We met at Starbucks inside and had coffee together one last time.  The boys, Evan and Ryan, were also there to say farewell to their girlfriend, Emery.  And as I headed to security after some very emotional goodbyes with floods of tears (I was a wreck), they stayed there, in a line facing me, until the very end.  I cannot tell you what that was like.  Those girls are everything to me!  My life is forever blessed and full because of their friendships!  And this is NOT goodbye.  They are forever my friends!  I can only look forward with anticipation until we visit each other and that time will be beautiful!  Well, security had to go through my diaper bag (as they were calling for final boarding for my flight!!).  And I thought the girls had left.  (I was going to do a dance for them before running off!... dang! it would have been hilarious and stopped all tears! lol)  but they had only moved over to the windows to watch me walk to my gate.  So as soon as I got my bag back, I took off in a sprint, pushing the stroller!  What a sight I must've been!  But it was a close one as I had waited until the very last second to leave them.  It was so hard.  But there were no time for sobs as I ran to the gate.  It's a good thing since everyone was staring at me when I got on the plane.  The stewardess had already seen the look in the guy's eyes when he saw me coming with a baby and she therefore asked a teenage girl if she wouldn't mind switching with him.  She had it all worked out by the time I got to my seat.  So sweet!  Mariah was the 13 year old's name.  She loved Emery.  It was so cool.  And off we flew.... into the wild blue yonder! ;)

Me and Lisa 

Tonia, Lisa, Heather and I, hanging out at the airport before we left.

Saying good-bye to my boys, Evan and Ryan.

Emery, Evan and Ryan at the airport.

 Grandpa and Emery!

 Kevin with Emery, just after getting off his plane, and just before we both lost it... lots of tears!

 My best friends at the airport!  Michelle, Heather, Tonia and Lisa... they are sooooo supportive of this move. ;)

The first flight to Phoenix was good.  Emery was awake but behaved for the most part.  I was able to keep her distracted for the hour and a half flight.  We had a short rest in Phoenix and then it was back on the plane.  As soon as we took flight, Emery was out and slept the entire 2 hours!!!  Praise God!  He is SO good!  Because it really could have gone either way.  In fact, even I got to rest to the point that she was slipping slightly as my body relaxed. lol  no worries though, she couldn't have fallen anywhere, there's no room in those planes! :)

Emery and I resting on our way to Dallas

When I got off the plane, I put Emery in her stroller telling her it would probably be a long walk.  Although I really wanted her out so she could walk to daddy.  But I only walked a few yards and then through a round about and was immediately at the baggage claim.  I was looking for the right area when I looked to my right and there was Sean!!!  I literally screamed with excitement and ran to him!  All the stress of the 7 days prior, came to an end when I saw his face!  It was the best moment!  I had my husband back!  Emery had her daddy back!  And we were a family again.  It is a weird feeling being in your home city, but your whole life just drove away in a truck.  And I was left to last minute logistics, cleaning our house for our renters and saying all my emotional goodbyes.... alone.  It was definitely harder than I had expected.  But in this moment with my husband, all of that passed away.  I was home... because home is, really, where he is.