7 & 10 hour layovers (Travel day for Italy trip)

This morning was crazy. I moved things from one bag to another. I wanted to not have to check anything in. Well, if it was a larger plane, that might have worked. I left my phone charger in the luggage I checked. That will work nicely on my 7 hour lay-over in Memphis. Oh well. Nothing is perfect. I sure wish I had some knitting with me. I flew on the tiniest plane that I have flown on yet in Hattiesburg. That airport is really convenient. I had been stressing about getting things done, but everything worked perfectly, even my gallon size ziploc instead of quart size. As I pulled up to the airport, I was met with a flood of emotions. I recalled all those happy hellos and sad goodbyes with Bjorn. Was I happy or sad today? Neither, really. Going on big trips like this, I always get cold feet. I can stay at home. You know, I really like my bed. It is comfortable. I have been really nervous about this trip, probably because I will have my sister in my apartment when Iam gone, and I don't want her to break anything else. Also, I will not have someone waiting on me at the airport. That's sad. I always seem to travel alone. On one hand, it is sad, but on the other hand, it is liberating. I get time to sort out my feelings, which does not happen often with my sister. Anyway, something awesome happened at the Hattiesburg-Laurel airport. Every once in a while, life offers you a chance to meet a kindred spirit. Today I met Kim. She is probably ten years older than me, and I wonder - will I be like her when I am her age? She has the hair color I wish mine would be more like - more auburn. Her make-up is how I attempt to get mine to look like. I enjoyed talking to her. She was the first person I talked to in the airport, we ended up next to each other in security pre-boarding, we talked until we got ont he plane, and I ended up sitting in front of her on the way to Memphis. Since I had a seven hour lay-over in Elvis town, I agreed to hang out with her as she waited to go to Oklahoma. I had no problem talking to her. If I end up in Oklahoma City again, we should do lunch. She gave me a magazine to read and said that there is a paper in there with her e-mail address. So, I'm still in the states and had something pretty cool happen. People in airports never really connect to each other, but I felt we did. People, myself included, are usually too much in a hnurry with their agenda or next flight to connect. It reminds me that sometimes when I slow down, amazing things can happen.