It's time. The moment has finally arrived. Launch isn't just coming soon. It's here and happening now. I left my house for Chicago at 4:15 in the morning and had to say goodbye to my family at home and at the airport. My oldest brother was able to come through security with me and hang out with me for a few minutes, which was really cool. Since the beginning some of the best advice I have gotten through the preparation process (besides pray) was to take a deep breath and get on the plane. So that's what I did. I don't know that I could have done much more. I was already fighting back the tears of goodbyes and fatigue and it was taking everything in me to not fall apart on the ramp from the door to board the plane.
I have since been reunited with most of my squad already and it feels great to be with everyone again. Reality still hasn't really hit me that in three and a half days we will be on a flight to Malaysia, but the big picture is starting to set in. If time keeps passing as quickly as it has this last week and today, this year will fly by. This is the real deal. We have been trained. We will be trained some more, and then we are out of here with our huge backpacks packed and ready to go. This is not a drill. This is happening right here, right now.
I have since been reunited with most of my squad already and it feels great to be with everyone again. Reality still hasn't really hit me that in three and a half days we will be on a flight to Malaysia, but the big picture is starting to set in. If time keeps passing as quickly as it has this last week and today, this year will fly by. This is the real deal. We have been trained. We will be trained some more, and then we are out of here with our huge backpacks packed and ready to go. This is not a drill. This is happening right here, right now.
