One year later ~ daddy-daughter adventures abroad! (cont.) ~ Day 9 ~ BYE FOR NOW... :)

DAY 9

Friday 21^st July 2017

Today, I feel so many emotions.

Happy. Excited. Loved. Love. Enthusiasmenoi! Poli. Because I will see Spyros in only a couple of hours…

But also a bit sad, or at least bittersweet. Because I think I will miss dad. And I am realizing how much this last week, this trip means to me. How wonderful and special it was to have this time together. Not just to explore and see all the sights. But to learn more about each other. I think for one of the first times, or at least more fully, to see each other not as daddy or daughter, but to see the other as a person. With more similarities and faith and struggles than I think either of us realized. I think we are closer. And he told me a couple times how much he appreciates all I did for the trip. That I’ve proved myself capable of planning and living an adventure like that. That he couldn’t have done something like that without me. That he came not just to see all that stuff but to be with me.

Thank you, God.

Now, also, a little worried. Because there is weather in Chicago that might delay or cancel his flight and I just want him to make it home safe and sound to mom and megan.

A wee bit solemn. Thinking of being in that Fiumicino airport just over a year ago. But going a different direction… The pain and unsurety and grieving of that season…

But on that token also extremely thankful for the growth and love Spyros and I have shared this past year… Popo, this year has been another year of growth in ways and difficulties I never expected… But we made it and are stronger. I love him more than I ever thought possible.

Thank you God.

And we are so close to being mazi again! For 5 whole weeks… And right now it feels unreal. And I feel the bubble of tears in my throats from all these emotions. And I think too from the pressure and difficulty of the past year, and 17 weeks since spring break, and school, and stress, and anxiety, and being apart, and losing his shirt, and so much more…

I feel so emotional.

And also a little nauseous. But that might be partly from my stomach issues the past few days, from traveling, from lack of sleep, from an early morning/breakfast, and just the nature of traveling (but at least only for a few hours!!!).

But soon, we will land, and he will be waiting for me in the airport. And I will see his smiling face and run to his arms and he will hold me and we will kiss and exchange words and just be close, be mazi, again… epitelous…

God please help us make this time special and make it last and help us face anxieties as they come and help us grow closer and stronger together and to you in our love. And please be with us and help make these weeks what they will be. Walk with us along this path we are on and makari continue to walk mazi…

Makari…

~

I could hardly sleep last night. Maybe it’s like I was little and the night before we would leave for vacation. I’d try to hold my eyes tight even if I wasn’t tired, just hoping that if I held them closed long enough, sleep would form on the outside of my lids and I’d fall asleep for real.

I don’t think it works like that.

But I still try.

But even though I was very tired physically, emotionally, and we’d come to the end of a long and full and fun trip, still, the excitement and anticipation made it difficult for me to find rest.

I must have slept though. Although it was the kind of sleep that feels like you aren’t sleeping. Like airplane sleep. Because even if your eyes closed and you dozed off and on, still I think my dreams were of being awake…

When our alarms woke us up bright and early around 630, dad shared how he’d had strange dreams of feeling guilty for sneaking into the basilica, but then moreso for thinking that being in that special church or one of the ones we were in yesterday, and praying there, would make more of a difference, would make his prayers better or something. And he realized all he needed was already hanging around his neck on his necklace. The cross. And he could pray anywhere and God hears him and knows and helps. And that’s the truth he needed to know and wanted to share…

I saw his faith more on this trip than ever before.

God I’m still working on feeling closer to You. Praying and trusting you in and with and through all things. I think I know I have Your forgiveness and presence always, but it’s hard to feel it and hard for me to extend a similar love towards myself.

Please help me.

Peace, Lord, please. Please, Lord, peace.

-

We got ready and finalized our packing and headed downstairs for one more of those special luxury delicious breakfasts. Still good even though both our tummies were feeling a bit off.

Heading back upstairs after, we double checked everything, called mom, loaded up and headed out.

Taxi to the airport was the best 10 bucks we spent this whole trip. Our driver got us there in a jiffy! Literally. Very fluid traffic flow in Italy… no lanes… just go!

Arrived at the airport, waited to see where our train would be leaving from, which platform. 23. Went through, no problems with our eurail pass thankfully working for one last train connection to the airport!

30 minutes later there we were.

Made our way to terminal 3. Tried to investigate the status of dad’s flight. As far as I know when I left he was still scheduled to go. Please, God, just get him home safe and sound to mom and megan’s waitng hugs!

~

We parted ways at the security check near the 220s desks. A couple more hugs and love yous. Our handshake. And then I went to walk through security.

Made it through fine. Found my gate and found a seat and waited there until it was time to board. An email and text or two… talked to spyros <3 SO SOON!!!!

~

Then got in line to board. At the gate the lady said my bag was too long and to leave it to be checked. I misunderstood her and thought she meant I had to leave it at the desk there. I got on the bus and then a while later she brought it out to me saying to leave it at the stairs of the plane. Ups. Thank you, God, she brought it back out to me…

Short taxi on the bus to the plane. Walked up with my bag because there was no one out there to double check with. Asked the flight attendant when I got on if I could just try and she said okay.

And low and behold it fit! Just fine. Thank God!

~

I wrote at the bottom of each page in Spyros’ notebook—the last words for this volume of our love chronicles J -- while waiting for the plane to start the taxi for takeoff.

We had to wait quite a bit until it was our turn but then we were off. And here we are… so close…

~

Safe travels, please God…