from stepping stones to milestones

my last day of class had just wrapped up. i anxiously made my way back to my dorm to pack up the last few things before a group of us would leave for the jingle jam concert in atlanta, which i would leave early to drive to the airport for a 10:50 pm flight to louisville. i should have known that the cold, misty rain would serve as a bad omen to my thursday evening plans.

in georgia, it was merely cold, misty rain. thats because in georgia, there's really no such thing as winter. but outside of the georgia greenhouse bubble, a wave of snow and ice storms was at large. unbeknownst to me, i sat down at my computer to check out my prospect 10:50 departure to louisville to discover that the flight, which had at least 5 seats open the last time i checked, was now oversold by about 7. for a standby passenger, this is not good news. not only that, but the flight before it was oversold as well. practically everything was oversold. why, you ask? because earlier flights were cancelled because of weather.

with this knowledge, i called up my dad and scrambled to figure out a substitute route. the only wide open flight was at 5:30 pm into lexington. i checked the clock...it was three hours until takeoff. seeing this as my only option to get to louisville in time for jonathan's graduation, i hastily decided to bail out on my concert going experience with regrets that i wouldn't be able to spend time with becca and best friends. but all the same, with the prospect of getting to spend an extra evening with jonathan, it wasn't a bad alternative at all.

i didn't leave athens until 3, and the expected hour and 15 minute drive ended up taking two because, of course, atlanta traffic always manages to become congested as soon as you're in a hurry. its just one of those frustrating facts of life. so anyway, i arrived at the airport at 5 sharp only to discover at the kiosk that i hadn't been transferred to the lexington flight. anyone who has been to the atlanta airport knows how bad airport security is. i had 25 minutes to get to my gate before the scheduled departure time and i was busy trying to get listed. panic sets in and i resort to just printing off the louisville ticket to make my way through security. ten minutes until takeoff, my dad calls me to let me know that the flight is full. great. all that panic for nothing. and i would have made it.

so the destination turned back to louisville, 7:15. i set up my camp at the gate. i was a little uncomfortable with the creepy old man who seemed to have his camera phone angled in my direction. with the capability to discretely take pictures at practically any time, i'm thinking that camera phones aren't quite so wonderful when they end up in the hands of the wrong people. noting this, i got up and settled down in a row a good distance away from him, directly behind him to avoid what i suspected. i'm really glad i did.

not too long after my two hour wait had commenced, the flight was pushed back to 8:30.

then 8:45. then 9:15. then 9:45. then 10:05. then 10:20. then 10:35. finally, 10:45. i sat in the airport for almost six hours, the threat of not making it out that night lingered over my head. rather than spending the evening with my boyfriend or friends, i was stuck in the terminal. i made use of time by plunking away at my economics paper, but not really accomplishing anything. it was such a relief when i found out that i had, indeed, made it onto the cleared list...i was louisville bound.

i was honored with the privilege of sitting next to the lavatory and flight attendant in the back of the plane. honestly, i'm not complaining...i just think its funny. it was just after midnight when the plane landed...it had been the longest approach i think i've ever experienced. jonathan was patiently waiting for me at the top of the escalators upon my arrival. he is so handsome.

we stepped out into the parking deck and the cold kentucky air bit my nose. it sure was a lot colder than georgia. a few flurries were still floating around as we left the airport. earlier that day, it had snowed an inch or two and then turned to rain. this wonderful winter combo created lots of ice. jonathan had to catch me a few times when i slipped on the ice...heels don't exactly serve as the best snow boots or ice skates. i finally met jonathan's roommate, bradley, which was really good because i had heard so much about him and even had a few conversations with him. he's a really awesome guy.

my alarm went off all too early friday morning. i quickly got ready and jonathan dropped his brother and me off at the chapel to meet up with his parents. the ceremony was lovely and i really enjoyed the message the president gave to the graduates. i was a picture taking fool, since i was the only one that had brought a camera to record jonathan's graduation moments. he walked across the stage to receive his masters of divinity degree... what a huge accomplishment.

after his graduation, we wandered toward the cafeteria to meet his friend jenny, but she ended up not being there. jonathan went to turn in his graduation attire and then we all went to longhorn, which just so happened to be my second time ever, both within the week. thats kinda funny. but anyway, they ended up overcooking two of our steaks, so they took up the tab on them, as well as two huge desserts and a cup of coffee. how nice of them.

we went straight back to his apartment and jonathan, his dad, and brother all worked hard to move almost all of jonathan's things out of his apartment. his mom and i got to talk for a little while, which was very nice. after his parents left, jonathan and i met up with his best friend, eric, and his wife, michelle. we inhaled dinner at chilie's to make it in time for the 10:05 showing of chronicles of narnia. one of the best movies of my life. i loved it because i had grown up reading those books and it played out on the big screen much like how i imagined it. i am excited that it didn't downplay the christian values and ideas that c.s. lewis had so beautifully created in his tale. they were so clear and the cinematography was well done. basically, i loved it. we went back to jonathan's apartment and hung out with his friends, adam and the amandas. i don't understand how people drink coffee at 2 am and then go to sleep.

saturday was a sleep in day. by the time we got up, it was pretty late. we headed over to an outdoor mall and just window-shopped, purchasing nothing more than a hot caramel apple cider and a peppermint mocha to keep warm. eric and michelle cooked a really nice turkey dinner for us and it was delicious. afterwards, jonathan and i went to another married couple's apartment (jiri and casey), which was very entertaining.

on sunday, we got up early again to go to church. then we headed over to the cheesecake factory, which was a very special occasion because every other time jonathan had attempted to go, his plans had been thwarted. i was glad to share the goodness of white chocolate raspberry cheesecake with a first timer :).

the time to leave for the airport came sooner than i would have liked. we stalled long enough to be pressed for time. the story of my life. jonathan and i said goodbye at the "only ticketed passengers allowed beyond this point" sign. the security process left me with a bundle of coat, scarf, ticket, license, laptop computer, and case in my arms as i hurried through the airport. the airport-wide announcement for me to quickly make my way to the gate for immediate departure picked me up from a trot to as much of a sprint i could muster in heels. i'm sure i looked so stupid. i managed to make it just in time. its funny how on my way there, i sat in the airport for six hours and on the way back, i ran onto the plane. this time, i got to sit on the very last row of the plane, right next to the engine. its sweet hum soothed me into a deep sleep the whole way home.

i miss jonathan.