Glad to be back

Jessie jots...

My skin is so harshly dry right now, no lotion or body oil could ever moisturize me! I've been pampered with simple hygiene care while in Malaysia, where the humidity had kept my skin moist. Now not only am I combating jet lag but I'm also struggling to NOT scratch my itchy body parts that only flakes like dandruffs when I did. Ew.

I arrived at LAX at 2.30pm on August 4th (Tuesday). I got out of the airport in such a jiffy, I couldn't believe it myself. Sometimes praying to God really helps! When I was last told in June by the lady officer of the US Embassy, that my out of status case was flagged down to be "reconsidered" once reaching the border of the country, I knew waiting in the line for hours was going to happen. I ain't gonna lie that I was nervous but I stayed firm and confident as I have nothing to lie.

To my disbelief, the male officer only asked one question, and before I knew it, I was off to collect my two luggages and out of the airport in 20 minutes... just in time to avoid the massive traffic jam that religiously takes place after 4pm.

Rewind 20 hours back, I checked into Penang airport with my parents and sisters at seven in the morning, expecting my in-laws also in attendance, who came as soon as I got my boarding pass from the Cathay Pacific airlines counter that morning. After learning that my flight was going to take off 15 mins sooner than was actually stated in the itineary, I rushed to say goodbyes. Then a couple of friends showed up, to my surprise. I was shocked as hell to see them, namely Kok Khai who just refused to see me the night before I left. I thought, why in the world he wanted to do that to his best friend? Only to see him walked to me and send me off with teary eyes. That devil!

We were all teary eye when we bid farewell. I was so, so touch with the people who showed up that early in the morning. Not forgetting, Jane who showed up the night before with James and her adorable Max after an unexpected departure from Abu Dhabi. Boy I was glad to see both of them before I leave - such a nice recap of my visit to Malaysia, seeing friends and keeping in touch with them.

Honestly, I hate saying goodbyes. I couldn't stand the sight of looking at my own friends and family weeping and I knew I had to walk away from them as soon as possible before I start to lose it myself. I have a long journey ahead and I have obligations to fill. So I hugged everyone quickly and said my goodbyes.

I did it so fast, I couldn't remember if I did hug everybody. I remember just glancing through, looking at faces really quick and walked into the departure hall wiping my tears away. By the time I sat down in the airplane heading to Hong Kong, all I could think about in the whole four hours flight was, did I hug Sandi? Did I say goodbye to Dad? If I didn't, I hope they'd understand that I meant well. I tried refocus my thoughts to happier ones, like all the fun events I shared with all my friends - the fried fish dinner at Bandar Perda, the car rides to Thai food with Kok Khai and Su Ying, the facial talk with Sandi, the joke my Dad made and the laughter my sisters and I shared. The memories of them talking crack me up every time! Even by myself... and no, nobody saw me smirking.

So here I am, in the arms of Hushby and Pipi again. Hushby is now as happy as a clam and couldn't get his eyes off from me. And Pipi, came to me straight from her afternoon sleep, start smelling me and even let me stroke her, in which if I was stranger, she would have ran across the room and hide. She immediately picked up where I left - she continue to play hide and seek with me, she obey my command when I tell her NO and she even knew the time to wake me up when I overslept yesterday morning.

Today she didn't have to wake me up. I was wide awake at 5.20 in the morning. Now at 10.30am, I'm feeling a little drowsy and I might just have to take a nap as my body is telling me, it's suppose to be 2.30am in Malaysia. It will take me a week to adjust. Just enough time for me recuperate before my in-laws from Vancouver is visiting next week.

I'm glad to be back. Even glad-er to back in my routine.