I have been flying the "friendly skies" for two years now. These have been the fastest two years of my life. Full of the word "change". It has gone a little something like this...
Job change.
Adventure change.
Boy change.
Scenery change.
State change.
Engagement change.
Marriage change.
Full-time to part-time change.
Pregnant change.
And now maternity leave/pending retirement change.
With yesterday being my last day of work before maternity leave I have what you might call "mixed emotions".
Always starting a "new adventure" has become something of the "norm" for me in my life. As I am about to embark on my biggest, most meaningful, and life-long adventure I am more excited and nervous than I have ever been before. I am also so grateful to have a teammate going into this one. :)
As per usual, starting a new adventure typically means ending another one. Closing one chapter to start the next. I can honestly say that when I started this job I figured that this would be a "career" for me. For the first time I could actually comprehend staying with the same company for 20+ years. Something that I would do until I became one of those old decrepit flight attendants that the company has to let go because they are a danger to everyone. I assumed that I would always be based and live in Utah, have my family to watch my babies, and when the kids got old enough I would be able to take them on a "field trip" to see the pyramids, the Great Wall of China, Stonehenge, etc instead of just merely reading about them.
It appears as though God has a different plan for my life. I am no longer in Utah, and sadly, will probably never live there again. I have no family around me to help watch babies. (John's family is closest and they are 300 miles away.) And I am based in Houston, which is a 3+ hour drive or potentially a LOT of time sitting at an airport to fly there and back, neither of which compliment a mother-of-an-infant lifestyle. So while I have until January 14th to make my final decision as to whether I will be going back to flying the skies, I am seeing a tendency to lean one way.
I will miss the people, the ones that I work with and the hundreds of new ones that I met each day. I will miss being able to walk around on the airplane when the seat belt sign is on. I will miss "surfing" the turbulence while handing out beverages. I will miss "People Watching" in random airports across the country. I will miss all of the guilt-free reading time, guilt-free hotel room lounging at the exact temperature of my liking, and the guilt-free fact that McDonalds is in every airport and that I sometimes HAVE to eat it because it is my only choice.
As much as I have loved this job, the very hardest part will be losing my flight benefits. Although they have taken me some great places in the world, the single greatest thing about having them is that they make my family "close". Without them it is a $400, 3 hour plane ride or a 24 hour drive. That part will be the hardest adjustment for me, but I have a feeling it will all work out.
The PROs to this whole situation is that I will FINALLY be putting roots down somewhere. I will get to be home with John EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. I will get to sign up for everything that the Relief Society has to offer without having to check my schedule and realize I won't be in town. I will cease being a terrible Visiting Teacher (hopefully). And I will be able to really fall into San Antonio and all it has to offer and embrace it as my home.
Change is good. Difficult, but good. Bring on the "normalcy".
