Operation Maple Leaf

As I type this blog post I am sitting in relative cushiony comfort inside a metal tube at an altitude of 36,500 feet. According to the little animated map display on the screen in front of me, I am 719 miles from Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I hope to land safely in approximately an hour.

The cute little plane icon is over the blue colored area on the map, therefore we are flying over the water, southeast of New York City, if the data are to be believed.

Of course, by the time I post this, I'll be safely on the ground, and the soles of my shoes will have touched the land called Canada for the first time.

I've traveled a bit, including internationally, but I've never visited Canada. Why now, you ask?

Love.

(Isn't that the most perfect answer to any question beginning with the word "why"?)

In this case, I am traveling to witness a declaration of love and commitment made by two dear friends.

These friends, Jodi and Jason, will be wed on Friday, February 5, 2009, and I will be there to see it. All because of love... and the Internet.

I've never met Jodi and Jason in person. Neither has my dear husband, though he's known them both longer than I have. He met Jason online, liked him, followed Jodi's adorably geeky proposal via a blog chain... (just pretend I told you the rest, okay? Otherwise this could get long) ...and then I followed them both on Twitter and realized just how super fantastically awesome they were! And the rest of our friendship is history!

When we received an invitation to their wedding, we knew they probably meant it as an honor, and were hoping we wouldn't come but would send a large monetary gift. :-P

Bah! Why follow convention?! Let's leave our kids with family and friends for four and a half days (something we've never done for longer than one overnight), and fly to Canada for the wedding! That'll show them!

As it happens, we developed an online friendship with another couple, Sophie and James, who live in Nova Scotia as well. So, clearly, we thought... Hey! Let's visit them too. After all, we'll already be in Canada for the wedding!

And actually, I had a list of other Canadian friends I'd love to meet in person, but apparently I have a poor grasp of geography and the concept of "Canada is effing huge!!"

So we're winging to Nova Scotia- for love, for friendship, for adventure, and for the amazing opportunity to connect with people who were unknown 1s and 0s not long ago.

And when I hug each of my friends, and look into their faces for the first time, I'll feel grateful, and full of love.

Thank you, Internet. Thanks for the love.