If it Ain't Broke....it Ain't Our Plane!

So, again, it is I, Stacey. But seeing how Al has been tied up for a few days, I thought I would provide you an update to the countdown and the take-off to Djibouti. Honestly, it's been a bit of a tough week. Al was set to leave on Tuesday, September 4th. So, we say our goodbyes, hard enough, only to find out, the plane is not adequately able to fly properly (I’m saying it nicely here). He is informed that it will be Thursday now before they leave since they are waiting for parts to come in. I take advantage of this day and take the day off - only to get home from work Tuesday night not feeling well. I wake up Wednesday feeling worse....I would like for Al to have gotten off and remembering me looking lovely, but that was not to be. He went into to work until noon and I slept until noon....great! Here we have this last day - this reprieve - and I am stuffy, congested, watery-eyed and just icky. LOVELY! I pull myself together and we spend the day together. Thursday comes....we say our goodbyes again - so sad. I head into work and knew Al was headed out at 10am. He promised he would call prior to getting on the plane...10am comes and goes. No call. I wonder if he really left. But since I don't hear from him by 2pm I assume he is gone and just didn't have the time to make that call. 3pm....I get a call from him, "Hey! Guess where I'm calling from! Not New Finland! I am at home." So, I get home Thursday night to not just Al but also Dupree (AKA Rob, our extended house guest). Now they leave tomorrow, Friday, 9/7. Friday comes, we say our goodbyes....AGAIN...trust me, this isn't easy to keep doing and he is set to take off around 10am. Again, he promised to call right before leaving. This time at 10:30am, I get a call. They are boarding their aircraft - so he is really leaving this time. A little while later it hits me - I have a breakdown moment, but compose myself quickly - I'm at the office afterall. He is now headed to Rhode Island to fuel and then headed to New Finland before crossing the ocean. Being a little concerned with the previous condition of the aircraft I urge him to call me when he arrives at his final destination that day - but he says he will email me. After work, I head down to Peachtree City for my 2nd Triathlon and don’t hear from him. This morning - Saturday 9/18 after the tri (which I finished slower by 40 seconds than my 1st one, but the swim distance was further...so I am okay with that - plus I was sick much of the week - notice some justification here? Okay, not about me....) I get back to my car and see 2 missed calls from Dupree's cell phone....I immediately try to return the call to get voicemail - I leave a vm. Al's phone service was suspended before his departure. As I am driving home Al calls...from guess where? Rhode Island...yeah, when they arrived there last night, the plane broke - now they have it at a navy base up there being repaired. If they got it done by 3pm they would head up to Gander, otherwise, he would overnight in RI. He told me he would call to let me know if they were leaving - it is now 8:26pm and I assume they got things under control and are headed that way. Of course, who knows if the phone will ring later this evening.

His Commander’s wife called me tonight to check on me and he is already there - so she confirmed that they have email access and phone time just as they did in Kuwait. His trip to Djibouti is expected to take 10 days - now at least 11 - it will be curious to see how many days a 10 day trip will take with their plane..

And just to wrap things up - I am sitting here (still sick in and out of sleep much of the afternoon - the race didn't help) watching the DAWGS play....losing now, but I hope they pull it out. In the 4th and down by a touchdown, um now by 10 points. GO DAWGS!!

Thanks to all of our friends who came over to see Al off. It meant alot to both of us. I appreciate the calls this week from all my friends who checked on my well being. And thanks for the prayers that have been said for Al. You guys have been wonderful and we are truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives.

Hopefully, you'll have an update from Al soon!