December 19th already?

I cannot believe it is already the 19th of December - wow this year has gone by fast and slow and fast - I buy these calendar books and keep all information listed in them - kind of like using them as a journal and I can go back and see what we happening. Like last  year on December 19th we were leaving for Anchorage after Commercial class- I am thrilled we are not going anywhere near Anchorage this week and hopefully the next and it would not be "we" but "me" and will be "me" but not this week. I am going to be nice and warm this week - but before this week I wanted to go back to last week when I was in Anchorage. I was up there from Tuesday afternoon until Friday night. I left LAX at 6 am - into Seattle- had a bit of time in Seattle. I was walking around the D concourse when I found the most amazing area - Alaska had decorated one of the gates with Christmas- trees and more trees and balloons and more balloons- I have no idea how to describe the area but that it looked like it puked Christmas and was so damn pretty. I sat at the bench charging my phone enjoying the plans and the Christmas area and the little kids enjoying it as well. Off to Anchorage- landed about 1:30 - got off the plane and wow it was like walking straight into winter wonderland- outside of course - the trees were sparkling with snow covered ice - the mountains were covered - everything was white - it surprised me a bit most likely because I usually arrive in the dark - but it was awe inspiring- until I walked outside to start the car and boom - no awe and no inspiring going on there just cold, bone- numbing cold! got the car warm and headed out- first stop was to check the mail at the office in town and then out to the valley- picked up Jordan and off we went to start working on the house - the plan was that we would have everything gone through, packed, thrown away, burned or ready for donation - storage was going to happen on Thursday evening and Friday evening and donation was to be picked up on Friday afternoon so off to work we went first dismantling Tom's office - OMG he throws nothing away it took almost two days to go through it all but than after having only 3 hours sleep the night before I told Jordan at 9 that I had to take him home - I was staying at a hotel while I was up there this time- so off I went.. climbed into bed was asleep by  10:30 until my alarm rang at 6 am and off I went- picking up Jordan by 8 am and back to the house to work until 10:30 then taking him to work and back to get more done.. and this went on Wed and Thursday but on Thursday afternoon I found out about the septic and so everything was put on hold - and I decided to leave on Friday night- I can do same day confirmed changes to my ticket without any fees and I use that service frequently - mainly by purchasing the cheapest ticket with the longest layovers they have for the day and then at 10 pm the night before I call and can change to the best flight that day for free- so basically since my ticket was for the 17th at 11:45 pm I could leave the night of the 16th into the 17th right after midnight and that would be the same day which is what I did so I had Friday pretty much free.
Friday - I slept in until 8 am - I needed some sleep - I was stressed, tired and more tired- emotionally tired - it is hard going up there and dismantling a life - the memories you come across - constantly while packing can take time to go through and the decisions to make literally wear you out  or at least it does me. I had errands to run out in the valley before leaving that day and then some stops I needed to make in Anchorage before picking up Adrienne and Baby Bear... then dropping them off and having to be back in the valley by 7 pm to pick up Jordan and back to the house to start packing and I had people coming over for garage sale items - finally by 9 :30 ish we headed to Target so he could do some Christmas shopping for stuff for me to take back to Rainey and then back to the house to finish packing - shutting down the house, making sure everything was locked up and lights were on etc... suitcases in the car and it is 11:30 pm- drop Jordan off and head to Anchorage- I was so tired on the way to town...so , so tired... I was worried I might fall asleep on the way- that was how tired I was- my flight left at 1:50 am and so I had to be there by 12:50 to get my bags checked without having them bitch at me about not being on time - they generally give me 10-15 minutes extra  but ... at anyrate I pulled into the parking garage at 12:50 am - got my bags out- got them upstairs and boom got checked in and headed to the bathroom.. the Anchorage airport is festive this time of year. Lots of trees sparkling all over the place- the plane boarded at 1:10 and so by the time I got through security I was headed straight to the gate- had enough time to get my stuff organized and ready to get on the plane and it was time. The problem then was that as we were leaving my stomach started to hurt like someone was punching it and it was making me nauseous and worried but we were moving and I thought it might go away but then my hands started to shake and I was so cold - I had no idea what it was but with my hands shaking it made me think of low blood sugar and I thought back to the last time I had eaten which was a bowl of soup a Olive Garden over 12 hours before and nothing before that and so I had 4 cups of OJ which helped the shaking and by the time we got to Seattle I decided I better get some food so I headed over to BK and got a breakfast sandwich and more oj but the sandwich was awful and I had to force myself to eat the bread at least- down to LAX- the sun was shining when we landed It was 70 degrees.. so nice.. Tom and Rainey could not pick me up because Rainey had class from 10 - 12 and I landed at 10:30 but I got my bags jumped in a cab and headed to the 105 to the 110 to the 101 North and wa la... I was home.. got in the elevator to the 3rd floor pulled my suitcases down the hallway - opened up the door - and was flooded with relief at being home- because this is home to us now. Our small, crowded, disorganized apartment in the middle of Hollywood - is home.. I was back in time to go pick up Rainey from class- she was waiting and as soon as she saw me she yelled Grandma and ran towards me and gave me a huge hug... Yep, I was home!