December 1st -- Our longest day of this year

実感のないまま出発の日がきてしまいました。 お昼には横田ベース着き、皆でご飯を食べたりお話したり。時間は過ぎ、涙涙の別れをしていざ、チェックイン。がっ、なんと私、出国手続きをしてなかった。実は横田はアメリカ領土 だから日本の出国手続きをしなきゃいけなくて、急いでオフベースに行って出国手付きをしてまたチェックイン。感動の別れから一転、「どんだけー」の 別れになってしまいました。
まずは横田からシアトルまで 。なんと飛行時間８時間。早かった。で、シアトルでは６時間位時間があったからジョシュの友人 に会い、その後、シアトルからデンバーに向かいました。でもシアトル出発頃から天候が悪くて、デンバーに着く頃には、更に悪化。 デンバーに着いた時には次の飛行機が３時間の遅延。まぁ、無事にデンバーからオマハまで飛行機が飛んだけど、結局夜中にオマハに到着。
殆ど寝てないまま送りにきてくれた、サチ、タク、カナコママ、カーリ、サム、 ありがとうね。また、朝から車を出してくれたシューキちゃん夫妻ありがとう。お母さんもありがとう、赤飯、美味しかったわ。

What a trip. Our day started out by Josh picking up Day-bis & Kuro at [Purely] pet hotel. We picked up Kabu-chan at the Fussa train station to head on base. Takako was awaiting her friends that wanted to wish us the last ‘see-you-later’. Everyone met at the Yokota Passenger Terminal at about 2 pm. We checked in, chatted a little more with friends just prior to heading to the gate. Some tears started. Once we approached the gate and Takako showed her passport, we stated about finalizing her Immigration Visa (IV), the Passenger Service agents told us we needed a ‘Japan departure’ stamp. We needed to head about 5 minutes off base, received the stamp and then another ‘see-you-later’. At about 4:45 pm we left from Yokota bound for Seattle. The flight was about eight hours to Seattle where we finalized the IV, received our baggage including the little boys to take out for a walk and to relieve themselves. The time was about 9-10 am. We then met Andy at Sea-Tac. We wish it could’ve been longer but before we knew it, the layover was complete and we needed to head for the gate en-route to Denver. Once arrived in Denver, we noticed that our flight had been delayed for about three hours. We didn’t leave Denver until about 10 pm, still on the 1st of December. Finally arrived in Omaha at a little after midnight. That was a long day. We thank everyone that helped us get here. Shuki/Nick - thanks for driving. Thank you very much also to: Kabu-chan, Sachi, Taku, Kanako-mama, Sam, Karisuma. We hope to see you again, in the near future!