Leaving it all behind

As difficult as I thought the last few months have been as I was getting ready to leave, they were nothing compared to the week leading up to my flight. Without the opportunity to have proper goodbyes and send offs, the emotional rollercoaster was catching up to me and taking its toll. But when I woke up on Monday morning, March 29, I put my game face on. It was a different kind of focus. 

Saying goodbye and leaving people behind was no longer on my mind, the only thing that was, was how to get everything done in just 6 days... it exhausted me just typing this post.

Monday: 

• Start my day with work meetings.
• Computer decides to crash and show only the blue-screen-of-death. Unexpected trip to my office to drop my computer off with IT.
• That's fine, I'll use the time to pack. Back at it packing boxes and loading up my car for another trip to the storage unit. This felt like trip #1099 but in reality was only trip 6 or 7. For weeks I've slowly taking boxes (labeled and inventoried for easy reference) to the unit. Using storage shelves I maximized the vertical height of the 10x10 space and played Tetris to really cram it all in. But on this trip I was nervously scanning the space wondering if it would all fit. 
• Dad calls from Leavenworth VA Hospital after over-exerting himself pouring cement, you read that right, my father thought it would be a good idea to do a cement job on his own. He says he's fine. I quietly freak out.
• Last night in my super comfy bed, morning came too soon.

Tuesday:

• 
  Moving day. Wake up at 6am, hours before the movers come, to load up my car with the odds and ends. And disassemble the furniture.
• Book pre-flight Covid test for Thursday morning.
• Computer still not returned from IT. Apparently it was a complete re-work of the hard drive.
• Movers: Best money ever spent. If you need a mover in Chicago, let me know. They were fantastic. Wrapped all furniture, added cardboard to protect it, rented the truck and unloaded it all at the storage facility. Even joined in my Tetris game to make sure everything was packed in tightly and securely at the storage unit.
• Mover tells me about a location in Quincy, Illinois (a 5 hour drive) where I can get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. It feels like a back-alley deal. Very Chicago. He's got a guy. But it's the only vaccine I was eligible for that would still get me the required doses before my departure in less than a week. I book an appointment for Thursday.
• Cancel pre-flight Covid test on Thursday since I will be driving to Quincy.
• Finally pick up my computer from IT - sort of back to new. Need to re-add all emails, links, documents, etc.
• Last happy hour with my friend, neighbor, former roommate - Paige. But I'm saving the tears.
• Go to blow up the air mattress for the night and realize my pump is not working. Should have checked that when I carefully set aside during packing. Borrow couch cushions from Paige and line them up on the floor in my room instead. You do what you have to do.
• Lying on my couch cushions, not sleeping. Decide to take advantage of the trip to Quincy, IL on Thursday and drive to Kansas City to see my dad, mom and leave my car at dad's house instead of selling it. 
• Book plane ticket home from Kansas City for Friday morning. Good thing flights are cheap. But at this stage, money was no longer an object to worry about. I just have to get it done.

Wednesday: 

• Finally an uninterrupted working day.
• Separate out all clothes and supplies I will need for the next 5 months until I ship the remainder of my things this Fall.
• Pack remainder of London shipment for Fall and drop it off at the storage unit. This is the last time I'll have my car in Chicago. 
• Book new pre-flight Covid test for Friday afternoon.
• Clean out car. Pack overnight bag for Kansas City.

Thursday:

• Drive five hours to Quincy, IL. 
• Receive first and only dose of Covid vaccine. It was a little scary but also such a huge relief.
• Nervously in tune with every ailment, pain, twinge and pressure that happens to my body - wondering if this is when the side effects would kick in. (I had only one briefly on Friday morning.) 
• Coordinate condo showings with my realtor to find a renter.
• Drive remaining three hours to Kansas City. Rush to Gladstone to meet my mom before she starts teaching her ACT prep course. But no tears when I said goodbye.
• Drive north to dad's house to spend time with him and his girlfriend.

Friday:

• Early rise for an 8am flight back to Chicago. Another successful goodbye without any tears.
• Experience the best flight home to Chicago I could have asked for. A crystal clear blue morning and the flight path took me over so many memories. After take off out of MCI and I located my mom's house from when I was 11-18 years old. I saw my middle school and high school before we flew up to a higher altitude. Then on descent into Chicago we flew west straight west over the city flying low over my condo towards the lake and I was able to pick out my rooftop. We did a 180 over Lake Michigan on a day that made the water look as turquoise as the Caribbean, with another sight of my condo and Wrigley and so many iconic Chicago landmarks we finally landed smoothly at O'Hare. 
• Surprised by my special someone (who somehow squeezed himself into my life between my plans to leave and my actual departure) with a pick up from the airport. 
• Pre-flight Covid test at a lab near home.
• A couple stolen hours of the day spent with my guy knowing it would be the last chance we would have to spend time together. A few tears during the goodbye, this time for the last time.
• Re-focus. No time for emotion.
• Cleaning. Packing. Re-packing. Repeat.
• A final champagne toast with my friends Laura and Paige to my condo and all of the memories shared there. A few more tears.
• Head to Laura's condo where I will be staying until I leave on Sunday.
• Happy hour with a few of my vaccinated and long-time friends in Chicago. Two of whom where there when I left for New Zealand too.
• I fell asleep after dinner, content listening to my three friends catch up while I dozed off from exhaustion on the couch.

Saturday:

• Early morning cleaning, packing, re-packing (again) at my condo. Made progress but not enough.
• Find out my pre-flight Covid results won't be sent to me until Monday, 24-hours too late. Start making phone calls, that's not going to work if I want to be on that flight tomorrow.
• Coordinate a condo showing with a realtor FaceTiming with her client in the unit next to mine. 
• Rush off for a 1:30p pedicure.
• Spend an hour on the phone with the lab trying to get my pre-test Covid results.
• Enjoy my last night in Chicago. Jazz performed in someone's yard for the neighborhood. Wine and lawn chairs for Laura and I. 
• Dinner at a local bar/restaurant. A skillet cookie. And treated by the manager to more wine than was intended.
• Coordinate another showing of my condo for Sunday morning.
• Re-living memories from the last 8 years with Laura.
• Another night falling into bed exhausted. Asleep before my head hit the pillow.

Sunday:

• 
  Easter Sunday. Coincidentally a day to celebrate new beginnings.
• Up at 4am. Nerves, excitement and sadness have crept in and I can't sleep. 
• I head to my condo for the last of the cleaning, packing and storing.
• After locking the door, I couldn't help but cry sitting in the car.
• One last trip to my storage unit to swap out bags.
• Packing my bags for the last time before the flight. It was a battle but in the end, I won. Everything I need for the next five months fit in two checked bags and two carry on bags.
• Shower. Change and off to the airport.
• Spend time on the phone with United trying to check in using my information and test results. Always a struggle. No one seems to know how to use the new processes. Downside of doing things that no one is foolish enough to attempt right now.
• Another tearful goodbye. The last one before getting on the plane.