I'm at the Pearson International Airport!

Oh hello! I'm in an airport, what's up?

Apparently, the airport from which I'm leaving Toronto has free wireless internet. The Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta charges fr WiFi, so I'm not going to update from there. In the meantime, hi! I'm doing okay.

Chris's mom and brother picked us up right after I finished my last post, and we went to Harvey's for burgers and chicken fingers (guess which one was me). We then went to the airport, where we parked, filled out my customs declaration form, and checked in at Delta. The check-in lady told us that because we were early we could wander around a bit, so we headed to one side of the terminal to look out the giant windows and try to watch planes. Apparently we picked the wrong side, so we headed in the opposite direction to look out those windows. On the way a random check-in lady told me that since I'd checked in I had to go right to customs, and I got really intimidated and headed in that direction before Chris and his family steered me away and told me she was wrong and let's go look at some planes, darn it. I was worried, but Chris told me that the worst that would happen is that they might ask to weigh my checked bag again.

Eventually we had our fill of planes and it was time to head to customs. I hugged everyone and Chris and I said our goodbyes and I'll see you soons and then I went through the line of customs. I got a pleasant man who checked all my paperwork and stamped my boarding pass and passport, and then I went through security. I wore non-laced shoes, so I felt pretty smug about how easily I slipped off my shoes and that I knew I had to take my laptop out of the bag and all that. Basically, I felt like a boss. A travel boss. I made it through, didn't set off any crazy alarms, and went on to find my gate. That's where I am now.

Our plane isn't here yet, but it's got 55 minutes left to take off. Of course, according to my boarding pass it should be here and we should be boarding now, but it's no big deal. I'm sure. I'm sure? Sure. I just double checked the Delta website to see if everything was going smoothly, but it swears we're on time. It swears! Oh fun, now the lady behind this gate's desk is calling a handful of people from our flight up to the desk and reassigning them to different flights. It's only been about 10 people so far, so we'll see where this goes, huh?

Me and my eReader

There's no need to worry. For now, I'm going to close up my laptop, put delays or other plane changes out of my mind, and get down on a book or two. Right now I'm reading Service Included, Four Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter, and I'm still in the beginning of Gone with the Wind, which is a challenge to read, not because of the story, but because of every other page having really off-putting racial language that's pretty hard for this young liberal with loads of white guilt to handle.

But hey, our plane's here! I'm going to try to snap a picture and pack up my items. These are the last words I'll type from Canada in a while. I'll see you again in America!

IT'S HAPPENING!

Today's the day! I'm going hoooooome to Jacksonville! Chris and I had a special Nutella tortilla and pastizzi breakfast, then we watched the hot wings episode of Reno 911! and now we're watching Glee. And then we're getting picked up by Chris's mom and brother. We're going to lunch and then the airport. I'm nervous about going through customs and security and all that, and finding my way through the airports.

Oh gosh, aaaaaaand they're here. I'm off!

Packing

Sorry for the sparce updates, I've been packing and panicking. I'm so nervous and excited and I've really only been freaking out about 15% of the time, so that's not bad. Today's my last full day here, actually. It's hard to believe it's been six months and not something like a year or more.

I've read that the more unusual experiences one has, the longer time seems to pass. The more repetitive the events that fill a certain time, the quicker that time seems to pass. It seems inevitable that when I go home I'll have all kinds of new experiences waiting for me, but I want to also make a point of doing some unusual things to keep things interesting. Acting like a tourist in my hometown, that sort of thing. Honestly, why haven't I gone on a free Budweiser brewery tour?

I'm nervous about going home to a sick dad. I'm nervous about not being able to forget what's happening, not to be able to turn on the TV and forget that, oh man, Dad is really sick. I guess all that will help with that anxiety is to realize that Mom and Dad have been doing that for months now. And just chilling out and making the best of it.

I don't worry about leaving Chris. I feel sad about it, but I don't worry. I know I can make it and I know he can, too. We've got Skype, email, and even this blog through which to keep in touch. He told me that not waking up next to me every day would help him, would remind him what he's working for while he's at the office plugging away. I won't be here to tempt him to work half days or work from home, which usually includes a lot of video games. I'm not saying this happened a lot, but it did happen, it sometimes did.

I'm looking forward to being somewhere warm, to reading all the comic books I've downloaded, to seeing my sister and my niece and my other pups and my parents again. I'm really looking forward to working and being with LOTS of people some days, instead of just Chris and his family and a bunch of strangers on the street. I'm looking forward to trying to make my family's eating habits healthier, but I'm pretty nervous about falling back into bad habits, so it's important that I keep weighing in and logging my food/exercise here. I'm looking forward to swimming in the ocean and wearing flip flops outside and seeing George Winterling in his garden. He still does that, right?

I've got the green bag I'll be checking (for $25, thanks a lot Delta) packed, my carry-on packed, and couple other piles of things hanging around. There's a Goodwill pile and a pile to be mailed to me and another one that I'll see again when Chris and I are living together again. Big Bear's going to have to be mailed, by the looks of it, which is a little nerve-wracking. If something happens to that package I just might bring down some righteous justice upon anyone who might have LOOKED at the box. But other than that, I'm fine.

There's a Krystal and a Chick-fil-A at the Atlanta airport where I'll have my layover, both fast food places they don't have up here, so I know I'll be having one of those. Probably Krystal. I'm sure if my flight were on a Sunday all I'd want would be waffle fries and chicken fingers. I've got two hours between arriving and leaving Atlanta if all goes according to plan.

Chris and I had Chinese food this evening (this week's food has been okay but not great) and then went on a walk around the city. We got me one last doughnut at Tim Horton's and then headed home, talking about all the different places we'd been and things that we'd done. It's been a good six months. I'm ready to go home, though, it's just a big transition is all.

Less Than a Week Left

Chris, Monte, and I on a picnic at the Toronto Islands back in October.

It's official, I'm down to my last six days in Canada. I should probably start packing. Chris and I talked yesterday about all the amazing things we've seen and done together since I've been here, and it was great to think of all of our times, from watching Wicked at the Canon Theatre to carrying the heaviest bookshelf in the world across town after buying it from Ikea.

I took a picture as we rode down the escalator while carrying a bookshelf and two doors.

We shared Canadian Thanksgiving with Chris's family at the farm and American Thanksgiving in our apartment, with a chicken I roasted, impossible pumpkin pie, sweet tea, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce from a can like it's supposed to be, and squash soup. All without the aid of any kind of mixer/blender/food processor. Lots of using the potato masher and colanders, though.

We celebrated Thanksgiving on a Saturday, too. Close enough!

We celebrated Christmas together and with Chris's wonderful family. I got all kinds of great presents and had so much good food that I think about that meal to this day. We sang carols and waited for Santa to show up and I ended up reading a book all about Legos with some of the younger members of Chris's family.

Oh, and I got this sweet boxer ornament.

We ate Indian food, ate weekly meals at his family's house, and made lots and lots of tacos with turkey meat. We shared desserts and appetizers, meals and snacks. I packed a LOT of lunches and Chris introduced me to chili fries from Taco Bell. That's right, their Taco Bells have fries. And chili. I don't understand it either, but I'm not complaining.

We shared this slice of brownie cheesecake from Future Bakery.

The weather was totally different. Like I explained to Chris, I know Fahrenheit for warm temperatures, everything from 60 up, and I know Celsius for cold weather, from 10 to -15 (5-50 degrees F). I experienced my first tiny tiny snowfall on Halloween morning on our way to Mass and survived a totally unimpressive snowstorm. I also saw a car lose control on the highway and slow motion slide into the median, leaving me terrified of ever driving anywhere but Florida.

Yes, I'm falling over after drawing a heart in Chris's parents' backyard.

This half a year has been something I wouldn't give up for anything. It's amazing to go to a different country and see just how much culture they can cram into a city. I'm so grateful because six months is a while, sure, but it isn't long at all when you're with a person who calls you the most beautiful girl in the world every single day and who makes you laugh with morning dance parties to terrible pop songs on the radio, and who supports you in your efforts to better yourself. I'm going to miss the heck out of this guy. But we both know it's not the end. I'm happy to go home and be with my people, and Chris and I will go back to talking on Skype and missing each other, only this time we know how great it can be. We don't have to wonder if it's all worth it. It is. Far above the sights and experiences of this city and this country, discovering just how right things are has been the best part of my time here. It's so great that I get to go home and be with my family, back in my hometown, all the while carrying that knowledge with me.

It was nice of them to build this statue when I got here, but why'd they put some dude on top of it?

I'm sad, but I'll be okay. I'm going to miss Monte and Chris, my boys, but it won't be too long before I see Chris again (August?) and it won't be long after that that he's graduated and we can get to the business of living together in MY country. I'm excited to see everyone at home, I've never gone so long without a hug from my parents, and I know they miss me, too. Hailey's probably six feet tall by now, I can't wait to talk to Courtney again, and my Jacksonville friends are amazing.

I'm going home.