Done Already

I think I looked forward to the past month more than anything in the longest time......and suddenly it's over!  Thirty days ago, I was landing in the US, hugging and being hugged, seeing my parents and best friends, and enjoying the blessing of our house (and thanking the Lord for my dad, who power-washed, cleaned the windows till they sparkled, and acts as the best caretaker in the world for that house quite a few months out of the year, always with a smile on his face; and for my mom, who never tires of catching up my ironing basket, making cookies for my kid, hemming pants and making my house look so good to come home to!)

I gained another five pounds on that three-week trip home, to go with the five from my last trip in February and the five from September's trip.  I will soon expand right out of my skin.  It amazes me how much I miss my hometown restaurants, especially Mexican food and seafood!

Over the next few days, I'll do the catching up I always promise but never seem to get to.  Let's start with how much fun it was to just BE back in the South.  Practically the day I arrived, J, P and I went to Market Common.  It was Dragon Boat Races day, and we found our exhausted but always smiling friend B working hard as she always does.  She totally deserved more than the two bites of sandwich she got to eat that day.

 Doesn't their setup look great?  Chick-Fil-A is an amazing company, and I'm proud to love this whole family who works hard together.

Then we were off to explore Anthropologie and the Nacho Hippo.  I knew better than to allow myself near Williams Sonoma.  We had fun looking at all the decor at the Hippo, but honestly I like El Cerro, Habaneros and Abuelos way better.  I only actually got to go to Abuelos this trip, and I'm sure my jeans are grateful.

Look at the adorableness of these women.  Sweet tea personified.

Tomorrow, graduation photos.  Oh, my heart.  What a blessed month it's been.  How, then, are human beings so complicated?  How can it be that after one of the best months of my life, I'm both happy and sad at the same time?  Ecstatic that my girl has grown to be the woman that she has.  Devastated that the years of full-time mommyhood are over.  Delighted to have the chance to live in and explore Europe.  Exhausted by living in Europe.  Content at having had my girl all to myself for a couple of weeks.  Lost without her now that she's gone back home.  Grateful that God has blessed me over and over far beyond what I deserve.  Unsettled as I look for my next "life passion."    Seeking.  Shying away.  Energized.  Tired. 

I'm pretty sure it's my thyroid.