Almost time!!
Grandma took this picture from her place last week- isn't it gorgeous? Walking Mileage: 5.71
December Miles Walked: 5.71
Temperature upon departure: 44*
Humidity: 67%
Only 11 more days until Matt and I board a plane to Alaska for Christmas! I'm so excited to go home and see everyone, yet I'm anxious at the same time.
Last time I went home was Sept 2006, I was doing great- just flying with the end of season tourists. You know the kind that all have their new fleece sweatshirts on and white tennis shoes. They all stand up gawking out the little windows of the plane as soon as the mountains come into view, basically all the way from Seattle. Well I was minding my own business and thinking about how I was glad to be coming home and then McKinley came into view out the window... I actually burst into sobbing tears! It was so embarrassing- I had absolutely no control over it though! I was completely taken back at how emotional it was for me to see my life long friends, McKinley, Foraker and Susitna. The two ladies that were traveling with their husbands next to me and in the seats in front of me- they hugged me and were telling everyone on the plane "She is SO happy to be home, she is from Alaska! She is so happy to see her family that's she's crying! Look." All the tourists giving me the sweet 'poor thing' head tilt smile just made me cry even more!
Somehow I got it together as we landed in Anchorage. And then I cried again when I saw my mom and family waiting for me at the gate. I was flying alone then, Matt is going to think I'm crazy if that happens again! (Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure he already thinks that!)
I keep thinking about the moment that 'Kinley comes into view...I'm hoping that replaying that over and over in my head will numb the flood of emotion of seeing the mountains again! No matter how far, or how long I'm away, I will always be an Alaskan born and raised with 'Kinley burned into my soul.
A picture from the Denail Towers webcam in Anchorage, right now!
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