Up in the Air

Up in the air. That’s where I am now as I begin to write. We took off from MSP airport around 8:30 pm, Tuesday, June 23^rd. In about 12 hours from now – after two flights and a cab ride – I should be opening the door to my new apartment. My home away from home. The day has finally arrived!

I’m sitting in Premium Class on Condor airlines, enjoying the views, the sunset and the extra leg room. We just passed over downtown Minneapolis and a brightly lit up Target Field where the Twins are taking on the Yankees. Soon, I suppose, I’ll be sipping some wine and watching a movie I never really wanted to watch or one I’ve watched before. “Vice” might be on the docket.

I’m sitting next to a young man who’s heading to Riga, Latvia to meet his wife and child. When he told me that I said, “Hey, they just went to Riga on The Bachelorette!” He was unimpressed.

Saying goodbye to Tricia and the kids was painful. In many ways, I feel like a terrible dad and husband. Really, though, I’m an extremely lucky dad and husband. The kids and I went out for breakfast this morning at Hoagies where we had a really fun talk about my adventure and how they were feeling about it. They also gave me a card, sharing more of their feelings. Both Sammie and Casey are incredibly supportive and encouraging. They are my biggest cheerleaders, and for that I’m tremendously grateful. Tricia, too, is very happy and excited for me. A more supportive, loving wife, I believe, does not exist. Don’t try to argue with me! I’ll miss them all terribly, but knowing I have their unconditional support means the world to me.

As I’m sitting here, I can’t help but be reminded of the first time I traveled to Europe. It was the summer of 1993. Tricia and I had begun dating just a few months earlier, and it was my dad’s idea that he and I do a European adventure,. The trip with my dad started in Vienna, took us through Austria, Germany, France and then eventually Spain, meeting up with Maria and David, where they were living at the time. I was super naïve at the time, and frankly not that excited about heading across the ocean to boring old Europe. Boy did my eyes get opened and boy did my opinions change. The trip was incredible, and it was that trip that caused me to fall in love with Europe and to venture back many times since. Those of you who know my dad know that he passed away just six years later. That trip I took with him was one of the great memories I have of my dad – that and sitting in right field at the Metrodome watching Jack Morris pitch a scoreless game 7 of the ’91 World Series. I love my dad and it’s truly a lot to do with him that I’m taking this journey. He had the same adventurous spirit, the love of seeing new places and meeting new people. I know he would be proud of me.

The last thought I’ll leave you with, as the sky darkens outside my row 6 window, has to do with the incredible, caring people in my life – you who are reading this are probably one of those people! I can’t tell you how wonderful it’s been to receive so many words of love and support from my family and friends. It’s almost like a funeral but I didn’t have to die! I’ve always known that I’m incredibly lucky in that I have so many loving people surrounding me in my life, but this experience has greatly cemented that fact. I feel like everybody in life should do something like I’m doing, if for no other reason than to get such an outpouring of kind words showered upon you. Thanks to all of you – you know who you are – and I hope you’ll continue to stay in touch. I appreciate you more than you know!