March 13, 2009. We are off on our 5-month adventure!

Day 1: March 13, 2009
And we are off!!! We want to thank everyone for such a wonderful send-off. Thank you so much, everyone, the good wishes, good-bye phone calls, cards, and offers of support. I (Deb) was overwhelmed by the beautiful surprise luncheon at school as well as the cards, letters, and posters created by the children. It made it all the more special as I don’t know whether I’ll be returning to General Vanier in the fall. Saying good-bye to my friends and colleagues was not easy – I have so enjoyed my three years at this incredible school!

With our evening departure Joe went to work today, while Ryan, Brendan and I packed for the journey. 4 backpacks, 4 small wheelie bags, 2 bags of food (for Brendan). Joe was going to be home sometime after lunch. As 1:00 pm came and went. Then 2:00. Then 3:00. At 3:30 I called him. “Where are you???” He was pulling into the driveway. Moments later, our neighbours Nina, Keith, Ryan and James were by to take us to the airport. Joe frantically finished his packing. Other neighbours popped by, Jane, Jerome, Alexander and Isabel. The scene was set to say good by to the neighbourhood for 5 months! After the hasty photo, we were off to the airport.

Super easy.

In the terminal we bumped into a hockey teammate’s family, Linda Sabourin and Jeff Gerro dropping their other kids off for trips to Vancouver and Mexico! Linda was heading to NYC en route to Costa Rica. Maybe Ottawa is more cosmopolitan than we thought! Then we bumped into Brendan’s classmate Tommy returning from skiing out west. And then, boarding the plane to Montreal (en route to Paris), we sat with Ryan’s schoolmate, Frederick, heading to Germany to visit grandparents. Wow, it is a small world!

Ryan and Brendan are passing the time here in the stopover in Montreal well by eating and playing ministicks! We’re sure that they will be sleeping well tonight.

We flew into DeGaulle at 9:30 a.m. Mom couldn’t sleep but the boys did, thankfully, for a good four/five hours.