A few weeks ago, my husband learned that the job he was on at the oil fields would be coming to an end earlier then expected. Spring break up was upon them, as things were melting and the ground was getting soft.

Since he had his truck in Alberta, this meant he needed to get it home.

He came up with the brilliant idea to have me fly out to meet him, and drive back home with him! However, rather then just drive straight home, why not turn the opportunity into a prospecting trip. A chance for us to look at farms, together. Our only opportunity since we first dreamed of buying a large farm over 5 years earlier.

How could I say no? We had been wanting this opportunity for SO long, as anyone who has been reading the blog knows. We had actually given up hope on ever having an opportunity to even buy a large farm, last summer, when we took our hobby farm back off the market. However, with Graydon being away from home working, and life changing so much over this past winter, we decided maybe it had been a mistake to give up on that dream. Maybe it was time to pursue this desire to have a large farm once again. Maybe we were never meant to give up on the dream in the first place.

It was time to find out! The doors of opportunity seemed to be upon us, and we were not going to allow them to shut without at least trying to walk through them first. We need to know if there is still hope, before it’s too late. Our children are not getting any younger, and neither are we. It felt like, and still feels like, it’s kind of now, or never.

Of course, this was all easier said then done! I was REALLY nervous at first, every fear a mother could have sprouted up inside me.

Then, the Tsunami hit Japan and I started thinking all kinds of crazy things. We live on an Island about the size of Japan, across the Pacific ocean from Japan. There were Tsunami warnings on the other side of the Island and I just kept thinking, “How can I even consider leaving my children at a crazy time like this?!”

I can be a bit of a worry wort at times.

(just a bit though!)

I do believe my fears had some merit, but having been a mother almost 20 years, and having my fears never proven to be founded, I had to get over myself this time. I needed to realize this was a huge blessing, not something to fear. Fear can be a dangerous thing if we allow it to control what we do and I’ve struggled with fears all my life! I wasn’t about to allow fear to ruin this awesome opportunity! I had to get a hold of myself.

So, on with the planning! We needed to make sure the children would all be taken care of. I had never left all five of them for more then a couple of days before! However, things worked out just fine. The younger three spent the week at my parents and the older two held down the homestead with the help of a friend.

Then I needed to make sure business was all taken care of. Lots of overtime hours, some organizing, and things were taken care of as best as possible on such short notice.

Then to book a flight, plan the trip as inexpensively as possible while still allowing for some fun and adventure, and organize viewing the properties. Hubby took care of that part on his end and connected with the realtors.

Everything was set.

Last week early Thursday morning I boarded a little plane to head off the Island, to Vancouver.

It was exciting! The first time I have traveled without children in over 19.5 years! My first time traveling alone since I was just 18 years old. Twenty two years ago! Before children, before I even met my husband. I had felt very nervous about it all at first, overwhelmed even, however, the more I thought about it and talked myself out of my own fears, the more excited I became.

I’ve always loved flying. When I was just 16 or so, a friends father took me out to lunch to a neighboring small airport. He and I both loved planes, so we walked around looking at all the different ones we saw there. We were watching one pilot practice his take off and landing. At one point, he landed his small plane and came over to us to ask if we would like to go up for a ride in his four seater?! Would we ever!!

When we were up in the air, he allowed me to take over and fly the plane! What an exhilarating experience I will never forget. I flew it over my parents house, the ocean, and the beach, before giving back the ‘reigns’ so he could land the plane.

I was very sad to find out my friends father died years ago, but I’ll never forget him, or the once in a lifetime opportunity I had to fly a plane because he went out of his way to listen to what I enjoyed and share his own love of planes with me.

And now, back to last week’s adventures.

When I was awaiting the first flight, I realized I had no gate number on my ticket for the connecting flight. I felt a little flutter of panic, realizing I had NO idea where I would need to go once I made it to Vancouver. A young couple was sitting nearby and I wondered if they might also be connecting to Edmonton and felt a nudging to ask them. I got up the courage to lean over and ask, but they were not. They were just going to Vancouver. However, the young man asked me why I was asking. I wondered at his question, but told him I was catching a connecting flight to Edmonton but my ticket was blank next to the gate number. He glanced at my ticket, pulled out his iphone, typed for a second, and let me know I was to board at gate 27 and proceeded to explain exactly where I would find gate 27 once we arrived in Vancouver!

I thanked him ever so much for his help! Then I marveled at our technology today, and the help of a stranger.

Once we landed in Vancouver, I found gate 27 with no problems. It was right where the kind stranger said it was.
My flight was delayed by about 45 minutes but that gave me time to wander a bit and explore the airport. I checked out the bookstore and a new release I have been wanting, but opted not to buy it there for $32.99 plus tax (yikes!). I’d have to go without reading this week. Ha ha!

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I heard on the radio that the Vancouver International Airport had been chosen as the best airport in all of North America. I could see why! The bathrooms alone were so spectacular, I had to snap a photo with my phone!

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While I waited for my connecting flight, a Tim Hortons coffee to go was a must have.

I sat and watched them load our luggage onto our plane.

The flight was uneventful. The weather is almost always beautiful above the clouds.
Blue skies and white layers of fluff.

I chatted a bit with the passenger next to me and we discussed camera’s and the Island. She too was travelling to Edmonton from Vancouver Island.

The Rockies were beautiful, as always, in all their glory.
I was almost there and was feeling so VERY excited!

Our grand adventure was about to begin. Over the course of the next 7 days, Graydon and I would travel thousands of miles, together.
We would view many farms, and discuss many dreams and possibilities, all with the hope that maybe, just maybe, this time we would find our forever home. Our family farm. Our ‘real’ homestead.