August 31, 2008

• A Sad Day

  The sad, sad, day finally arrived this morning.  The day JoAnn and Aolani had to fly back to Washington.

  The children were aware of, but not really comprehending, the impending split that was about to happen.  TV (AGAIN) took precedence over saying good-bye.
  

  Aolani was wearing a gorgeous top.  Lavender with all types of beautiful embroidery embellishing it.  The purple sash tied in a satiny bow in the back.  It truly was a beautiful little top and looked good on her with her dark hair and eyes.
  

  In the rush of getting ready to pack up and go, I got a couple nice pictures of JoAnn with Luci, Annamarie, and Rissy.  They sure have grown to love her!
  

  And I was also able to get the cousins to sit still long enough to get a group photo of them!  Notice Rissy with the remote control in her hand? LOL
  

  Before we knew it, we were at the airport.  Yikes!!!!!  This was for real – JoAnn was really leaving!!! 

  Jesse took JoAnn’s luggage up to the counter.  She just had that hernia surgery and can’t lift much of anything.  Her carry on stuff was even light and Aolani was responsible for her backpack.
  

  The realization of them actually leaving began to hit hard as we watched them walk up to the sky cap’s desk where Jesse was checking in her bags.
  

  After Jesse was sure that all was in order, we began our good-byes.  Poor Aolani had buried herself in JoAnn’s arms and cried most of the way to the airport.

  Then Annamarie began to cry.

  JoAnn began to cry.

  Jesse began to cry.

  And, *I* (one who usually NEVER cries) joined the crying crowd.

  Bye Bye Aolani!
  

  Bye-bye JoAnn!  (this, by far, was the saddest picture I took)
  

  And, into the big (well, it “seemed” big today!!) Oklahoma City airport, that would soon carry them through the sky to Tacoma/Seattle’s airport, they went.
  

  They had a 4 hour layover in Salt Lake City, UT (doesn’t that sound horrid??? 4 hours stuck in an airport????!!!!), so they didn’t want to eat before leaving, figuring eating in Utah was a good way to kill part of those 4 hours.  I absolutely did NOT want to go home to their empty room and beds.  I think Jesse and I felt shock, loss, sadness, and a little lost about what we should/needed to do next.

  So, we went out for lunch at Red Lobster.  Not like we have any business spending that kind of money, but grief makes you do crazy things.  That’s the only way I can explain our restaurant splurge!

  And, just like I had thought it would be – I came home to the empty bedroom.

  No JoAnn ~
  

  And, no Aolani ~
  

  All that remained were two boxes of their stuff that made their luggage too heavy to fly without an additional luggage fee.  I had promised JoAnn I would mail it tomorrow.
  

  As I had wept holding JoAnn close telling her good-bye, and she was assuring me she’d be back, I suddenly told her I wasn’t mailing her boxes back so I KNEW she’s have to come back!!!  It at least broke the sobbing tension and we DID laugh.

  After looking in the top box, I decided I just might hang on to her things.  I saw some things in there that looked pretty important – stuff she can’t live without!
  

  Evil, sinister me is fighting that nasty old Satan telling me (Don’t send her stuff!  Don’t send her stuff!) and then there is the “RIGHT THING” to do, which is to send it and pray she comes to visit again, soon.

  Yes, I’ll mail the boxes tomorrow, just like I promised my dear sister-in-law!

  I’ll wash their bedding, and Rissy’s, AND Jesse and mine.  I’ll stay busy with chores.  I’ll go to the post office and I’ll go to Wal-Mart (the one here in town that I hate) to buy dog food, and – I imagine – life will slowly resume it’s normal routine.

  But, my heart DOES feel empty tonight.  Such is life.

  Tomorrow, I’ll share some happier pictures we took yesterday while showing JoAnn her old house and around the area that has grown and changed so much on that side of town.

  • 9:11 pm
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