Being Home

I'm having fun being home with my family. Wow, it seems that Mom, Dad and I got considerably shorter while I was away (although they insist that I grew, and not just around). Connor, Mattie, and Ethan have shot up like bahaya in summer, and the best word to describe Mattie would be what Miss Brenda reported to me a few months ago: elegant. Ethan, now...while we were driving home from the airport I couldn't think of how to describe him...

"Ethan is so...so..."

"Romantic." He stated helpfully.

I was thinking more of something like "skinny" or "serious" but hey, romantic works too.

Last night we celebrated his 6th birthday, and today we played playdough and made pink and orange elephants. He says I'm fun to play with.

It's so fun being home. There are so many people I want to get with, and I'm still feeling sleepy, but I can just go with the flow. Reverse culture shock is subtle but real. Mexican food is a lot spicier than I remembered. I have to think twice about what my zip code is, and I was a little unsure yesterday about using my debit card. There are so many cars here. It really isn't supposed to be 75 F five days before Christmas. People have changed, and I've changed, and there's a lot going on inside. Processing life...but it's not a bad thing.

It feels wierd not to remember where things belong in my own house, not to have my own chores, and more oddnesses. "Home" has changed. But it's all part of something bigger and better in my life. So I'm excited and very pleased to be here.

I'm enjoying my bed, the Christmas tree, my brother's music, my family's dear hugs, being with friends...

Connor, Mattie, Ethan, and I are leaving in just a bit to see The Tale of Despereaux with Lauren, Gracie, and their two younger brothers...what fun :) I'm a hopeless sucker for mouse stories, so I hope the movie does justice to the beautiful book. The heroism still makes me swoon.