Leaving on a Jet Plane

As we write this, Aunt Beast is officially on a plane, more than halfway to China. She'll be meeting Michael and his parents in Hong Kong, where they will take a taxi to the border, and enter their new (temporary) home of Shenzhen. We have to keep reminding ourselves that she will return to the States, and that this relocation is merely part of her journey. As hard as the move is for us, we delight in the fact that she is being true to herself, and following her heart and her dream of living abroad. It's all we can hope for any of our loved ones. If this had been 10 years ago, this move across the world would have been even more difficult to swallow. With the advent of Skype, G-chat, and Vonage, we'll at least be able to stay in touch more easily. Though thousands of miles away,  she'll be able to see some of Owen's first steps, hear his first words, and relish in her nephew's developmental milestones. We will be able to virtually tour her new apartment, meet new friends, and remain connected. That being said, this is still SO hard for us!

Even though Nicole's feelings about camping generally include "I love NOT camping", we convinced her to meet us out by the Russian River for the day since it was her last weekend in the Bay Area. 

 Owen was able to spend a little more quality time with his Aunt before she departed.

And Orion was able to live it up on the beach before spending a long flight in a kennel sedated with doggie Xanax (she will do absolutely fine, we are sure of it!).

 Really, though, this has been the most difficult for Jen. Nicole is her best friend, and the two have grown even closer as adults. Even though Jen understands that this move is a wonderful and exciting piece of Nicole's process, she mourns the loss of Nicole's physical presence in our lives.

But she is here. She's in the cheap trivet Jen bought while visiting Costa Rica that Nicole regularly voices her disdain for. She's in Jen's red fleece that Nicole has no problem reminding Jen she wears in most EVERY outdoor photo. She's in the numerous outfits she's purchased for Bub that he has yet to wear. She's in the crappy terribly tasting Kashi cereal we know have in our cabinet, and the Costco sized peanut butter we inherited when she moved out of her San Francisco apartment. While she won't be coming over for dinner in the near future, our relationship with Nicole, and Owen's with Aunt Beast, will take on a new dimension. It will grow and change, just as she will while she's living abroad. It's all part of the process, and through the tears we can see that. We wish her well, and can't wait to get that first email upon her arrival in her new home.