"Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to say what it is will break you
I don't know which way the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time has come around
Don't wanna see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye" -Kite from All That You Can't Leave Behind by U2

I hate goodbyes.

Peter, Rea, and Ella left for New Jersey yesterday morning to start their new lives. Their flight was a 8AM. I woke up and thought about how they should have gotten on the plane by now and hoped Ella was doing well on her first flight. All day long they were in my thoughts and prayers: they're passing over Grand Canyon...hope Ella is sleeping...they're passing over Chicago, my hometown...Peter and Rea have never been to Chicago...they should've arrived in New Jersey...they should be at Peter's sister's house...hope they sleep well, especially Ella...good night....

All in all I think I must've have prepared for their departure for the past four months since the first time Rea told me that they were moving for sure. She showed me pictures of their new house and I imagined them living there. We talked about the adjustments she'd have to go through, especially social adjustments.

The day before they left, Joo, Susan, Hannah, and I had lunch with Rea and Ella. Rea almost cried a few times. Then Peter, Rea, and Ella joined us for dinner at Islands so we got to see them again. I know that this is not goodbye. I will probably see them again. But it's still sad. I couldn't cry until they were actually gone. Does parting with loved ones ever get any easier?