Okay, it's official, moment of truth:
I take things for granted.
1.) Like my husband letting me spend an atrocious amount of money for a plane ticket to Utah because it was important to me.
2.) Like my job who let me have days off without the issues I predicted would ensue.
3.) Like my extended family being so kind they'd drop everything to run to my aid.
Two weeks ago on Monday, August 4th, my trek to the capital of Utah began. I pressured Graham into getting off early and taking me to the airport because this would be the final time in 3 years we would all be together. As we pulled into the airport the knots inside my stomach were unbelievable- our last day together in so long...
Mizell's, though, aren't ones to put on a passionate theatrical production so we grabbed supper together from small places in the Jax airport and made small talk. I noticed my Grandma Marilyn was white as a cotton ball, sick from worrying and being sad. Graham, as always, was totally nonchalant, Mr. Cool, and gave Listi his famed awkward side hug, excited for her new adventure. My Daddy wasn't smiling or frowning, just kind of taking it all in- he shares a special bond with Listi and hasn't been sure how to take in the thought of a mission. Granger, trying to lighten the mood said, "hey, Daddy don't start crying now!" And without blinking he whips back, "don't you start crying!"
Without missing a beat Granger's eyes flooded with tears and he cried pitifully as he leaned down to shield himself. Acey realized what was happening and he broke down too, he is the only one who won't be with us to welcome her home on 2016. Grandma, Listi, Mama and I followed in suit. So there we are, a group of bawling adults all huddled together in the JAX airport. So much for us not being into theatrics. I finally leaned over and said to Ma, "We've got 48 more hours with her! We can't be acting like this!" We hugged, photographed and finally looked to see that our plane would leave in 45 minutes, it was time to go through security.
I felt so sad to watch everyone but us girls leave, it was just so upsetting. So I'm getting misty- eyed again, looking back and forth between them walking away and Listi with her crazy short hair. Finally Listi said, "it's not like I'm dying!" Which was true, plus we had all of the great Salt Lake waiting before us! So we perked up immensely and boarded the plane.
No matter how many times I ride one (I've been on about 10 in total) taking off in an airplane still freaks me out. The "what if's" run through my mind, the looming distance between land below and the turbulence are enough to just about make me stick to a car permanently. But y'all know I was the "expert" on this trip, considering Listi and Mama had never flown, so I had to show my poker face and offer a supportive hand :)
The arrival trip ended up being so fun! I brought my typical carry- on bag of snacks we munched through, every couple of minutes a film crew (us!) was rolling to get the flight footage and we had a layover in North Carolina- time to mark that off my bucketlist. After super uneventful flights (which involved Listi and I switching off who got to rest on Mama's shoulders) our hearts were pumping to finally be there, there, in Salt Lake City.
We scurried over to grab Listi's luggage (70 lbs of it- did you understand that? 70 lbs!!) So at 11pm we rolled into the rental car section of the airport, smiles despite the intense amount of luggage. Well suffice it to say that about an hour later, I surpressed the most intense frustration, we didn't have keys to a vehicle and our host Shannon came by unexpectedly to pick us up. What a sweetheart!
Finally, 2am our time, we keeled over into the bed and I don't recall the briefest trouble I had sleeping.
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