Re-entry Is Kicking My Butt.

It’s been a while since I last wrote anything for you guys. I apologize for that. The truth is, it’s been a crazy month. Re-entry is not as easy as many people seem to think it is.

When I last posted anything, we were in Coober Pedy, Australia, visiting the opal mines there and having all kinds of adventures with our good friends the Rickards. Since then I’ve had my first stitches ever, visited Uluru, dove on the Great Barrier Reef, and flown back to the States. It’s been a big month or two, to say the least. But re-entry has been the biggest event of all.

Coming home is always a bigger shock than going away. Contrary to popular belief, when we’re on the road our lives are actually much more stable than they are when we come back. We do have a daily routine, though it’s very different from most people’s. We aren’t moving constantly. When we are, it’s at our own pace and it’s usually quite relaxed. The minute we hit the States, that changes.

After being gone for nearly two years, we’re anxious to see all of our family and friends again. But unfortunately they are spread far and wide across the States and Canada. And so, the month (or sometimes two) of insane dashing about and upheaval of everyday life begins. It’s a good thing, and we enjoy every moment of it. It’s wonderful to hug old friends and cuddle new cousins, to sit around Christmas trees with grandparents, and to spend time with all the people we’ve missed. But it’s also exhausting. I have very little free time on my hands, and when I do I tend to spend it relaxing.

At the moment I’m sitting in my godparents’ living room, warming my toes at the fire. It’s a cozy, comfortable place, and I love it here. Poppy is just the same as he was, a big joyful man with a beard that’s responsible for the nickname Fuzzy. Mimi has the same sweet smile and big heart. My cousin Sam is somehow taller than me now, and Rachael still calls me her sister. It’s good to see them again. We’re nearing the end of our time in Indiana with family and friends, and it’ll be a little while before we see everyone again. Not nearly as long as it has been, but a few months at least.

In a few days we’ll be headed up to Canada to see my grandparents on Wolfe Island. We’re all looking forward to spending Christmas with them. Going from house to house visiting with people for weeks on end may be exhausting, but we’re having the time of our lives! Here’s some photos from the past month or so: