So long for now.

"Mommy is going to go bye-bye for a few days and you're going to have fun with Papa."

"But why?"

"Because Mommy needs to go see her friend."

"But why?"

"Because she's very sick and I need to say goodbye."

"But why?"

"Because sometimes people get sick and they don't get better."

"But why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because it's the plan."

"But why?"

"Because."

"But why do you need to say good-bye?"

"Because she's going to go to Heaven."

"But why?"

"Because she's almost done with what she needs to do here on Earth."

"But why?"

C'mon kid!? Throw me a bone. How about an easy one like 'why is the sky blue'?

...

I'm getting on a plane and going sans children for a couple of days. It's very weird. Not only is my bag very small, very light, and lacking the usual sippy cups, snack bags, and arsenal of wipes, but I'm going to go see a friend for likely the last time. The up side is that I am going to get to see a bunch of other people too.

From her last e-mail...

"...everyone had headed back to their appointed home front, and I realized just how hard it is to say goodbye.  You can dress that word up, try to dance around it-whatever it takes...  But it still is goodbye, and it's damn hard.  Goodbye for me has taken on a much more deeper meaning.  As much as I try to stay in the moment, in the here and now and do not project past right now.  It's hard.  As I tell people I feel blessed that I have goodbyes that are hard for me to do-as there are people on this planet that have no one cheering them on and supporting them through a terminal illness.  So it is very much a mixed bag for me.  The sadness of the goodbye because of the grandness of the love. "


Damn, I'm gonna miss her!


I'll be back in a few days.