The moment is almost here...

I have had a lot on my mind this last month. Well okay, I lied! I've had two things on my mind this last month, one I'll tell you about in a later post. The other I hope I can at least make you smile at my expense. I've been dreading June 10th for several weeks now. My work is flying me out to Portland, Oregon for a one day training class. No biggie, right? Um, not so much! I have never flown on an airplane, let alone having to do it by myself, completely alone, for the first time. That is the natural order of things anyhow, why would it make sense for me to have someone to comfort my nerves. The last time I even stepped foot into an airport was in 2000, when I was picking up my sister. At that time we could still go all the way to the gate to meet and greet. At that time I didn't even know what I was doing, hated going through security an checkpoints, and I wasn't even a passenger on a flight. Top that with the fact that everything has changed and I'm sure to be in for a real treat.

I can't say that I'm scared. I'm not afraid of dying or anything like that. I'm nervous, I'm anxious, and I'm ready for it to be over. I'm nervous because I don't even have my ticket yet. I have to pick it up at the airport the morning of my flight, which by the way is at the butt crack of dawn. I'm nervous because I don't know how to do anything once I get there, but luckily our airport has started that new system of traveling that groups traffic into threes: expert, casual, and families. I think I will be going through families because they spend more time with you, and it's either that or claiming I'm an unaccompanied minor. I don't think they'll buy that. I look a little older than seventeen.

I'm also nervous because when I get to Portland I have a rental car and then get to find my way around town to training and back. I also have six hours of downtime in the Portland Airport so that should be a real kick in the pants. I'm anxious because I've wanted to fly for as long as I can remember. I just wish my dear husband could be sitting next to me so when I'm white knuckling the take-off and the landings he could be holding my hands laughing at me. I'm sure it will be a wonderful experience and I can't wait to tell you all about it, but I'm getting butterflies in my stomach even now just thinking about it. Six days left! I'm going to go crazy! I hope to take lots of random pictures while I am in Portland though to pass the time, so beware.