Hellos are much better!

My last post was hard to write, but this one is so much nicer. I was welcomed home after a pretty smooth non-eventful flight - except for a nice pat down upon arrival on US soil and all my bags searched, but nothing was taken so that was nice.

My whole family (including the dog!) plus my roomate, Heather - from Bethany days - was there to greet me and it was wonderful. Hugs all around and I LOVED it! A big shout out goes to my dad who shared his "thunder" with me by scheduling me to arrive home on the day of his birthday. So we celebrated my return and his birthday with an amazing steak meal made at home.

I was sleepy that afternoon, but my parents and family kept me occupied so I didn't sleep - in fact, I didn't go to bed that night until 11pm! Pretty good for jet lag! I slept until 5:30am with the help of two melatonins.

Then, yesterday, we had about 40 people over to the house for hamburger grill out, family and friends alike so I wouldn't be hard up trying to say hi to everyone before vacation and the NARM and what not. It was wonderful. Thanks mom and dad for putting that on for me.

Today we shop and pack for vacation. Yesterday I drove to Walmart and let my 15 year old sister who has a permit drive me home. I almost had a nervous breakdown when she didn't know which way to turn the wheel out of the parking space, but otherwise she did great - she even talks to the other drivers like I do!

Tomorrow - Vacation, study for the NARM, vacation, study :) Hugs and kisses to all those in Davao - most of you have written goodbye blogs or posts or chatted saying there is sadness and holes now that a few of us are gone, and we (or at least I) feel the same way. I am so happy to be home, but at the same time I tear up randomly when i think of life in Davao and what I am missing. I suppose it will get better with time....