December update

December was a series of highs and lows. Ever the pessimist, I will start with the lows first. By December, it became painfully obvious that there was a significant slow down in the Chinese Adoption System. Group 108 got their referrals but was not combined with any other group. We were told by our agency that there would be a %50 chance we would travel in March, but also a %50 chance we would travel in May! The possibility that we would travel later than March had never really occurred to us and it was not a welcome thought.

The good news happened on December 8th. That day we (along with the dogs) went to pick out and cut down a tree at Santa's Christmas Tree Farm. The dogs felt compelled to mark nearly every tree they came across, a behavior we unsuccessfully tried to discourage. When we returned home, I noticed the answering machine light was blinking. The caller? United Airlines...The purpose of the call? To recall Colin to United effective in March. How did we feel? Ecstatic! Colin had been furloughed over 2.5 years ago and for the past year, he has been flying as a Captain for a cargo company on his beloved 727. Although he has loved flying as a Captain, it is a great relief to be returning to United.

The only potential down side is that we have not yet found out where he will be based. When I was furloughed as a flight attendant, I was recalled to the base I was furloughed from. However, pilots are recalled to wherever there is a vacancy, so that could mean San Francisco, but it could also mean Chicago, Washington, DC, Denver or Los Angeles. We know that we will figure out, it would just be nice to find out where he is going to be based as soon as possible.