Debbie Austin (Baldwin)
iDebbie Austin (Baldwin)
Hi Carter, I don't usually open these much as I hate to hear of someone passing, so I took a chance and saw your message on the forum. I don't keep up with all the news as I don't do Facebook, Instagram etc. Sounds like your doing very well and that you and your family have made it through the pandemic healthy! I have been now at American Airlines in my 37th year and I fly international so this pandemic has been crazy, last year in feb and March I brought in the last Hong Kong flight and a Shanghai flight and flew my last trip on mar 23 for 5 months, luckily because of my seniority I was able to have paid months leave, I came back sept 1st, we still had some Europeans Korea, no China , but our passenger load is so low, only duel passports for that country and military and their families, I got in from Korea last night and our 787 was only half full, it's really picking up which is great, just waiting for the other countries, to let us passengers back in and what they will have to do to get there. I believe it will be vaccinations eventually, will see! Luckily we have lots of international that I'm still flying, as crew we are excempt! Those 5 months off were so busy that I couldn't wait to get back to work, my husband had so many projects we were doing and we did so much landscaping and home projects at our son and daughter-in-laws house 2 1/2 hours away in Kansas, I haven't had that much time off since I was pregnant with my kids in 90 and 91. I've been fortunate during this pandemic that my job has allowed me to travel all over the world and not be stuck at home, I feel for my husband and kids and all my friends that have been stuck at home working their jobs and it's been harder for the kids who miss school and probably will have to repeat or our school sports where the kids who have lost their chance to shine for college sports and the college life that they are missing, I thank god everyday that my kids had great college and athletic college experiences and I only wish that for everyone else! If we can find any good it would be for the busy families normally now have had some great real family time e they were not getting.
For the past 2 years I have also been helping a dog rescue in cabo, Mexico and I deliver ( carry them) some are big and have to be crated and delivering them to their new adoptive parents, since I fly for free and can carry them for free! We lost our dog of 13 and a half 5 years ago this is my way of dealing, it's to hard for me to lose them. I keep in touch and see pictures of their new lives and I know what it was before and it's so rewarding! If I have 2 to carry, my husband comes with me! I delivered a little girl puppy the end of feb to la, just 5 days away from us requiring a COVID test to come to us! The puppies have to be at least 4 months old so they can have there rabies shots which are required to go thru and into us, sometimes there not quite that age but there growing so we have to fudge a little lol, I have delivered 16 so far! It was so hard during the pandemic, no traveling!1. We have also been busy planning for our daughters wedding on sept 18th in Tuscany, Italy, hoping all goes well, Italy is open for all my work trips but not quite yet for Americans! My kids are son 30 almost 31 and he's married and works for Amazon and our daughter is 29 and will turn 30 2 1/2 weeks after she marries and she is a creative strategist for Snapchat, snap inc. and her and her fiancé live in wicker park, downtown Chicago! Luckily for me we have flights from Wichita to Chicago so I can always pop up, I'm based in Dallas ft worth and commute by plane from Wichita to work! I was glad to see that Jeri mentioned our reunion that was suppose to be this summer is just going to be postponed until next year!, I hope everyone stays safe and healthy until then! Keep posting. Deb
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