Home for the New Year

January 5, 2005

We are safely home, as most of you would have assumed anyway.

We had a relatively uneventful trip home especially considering Brienne had a flu bug or food poisoning and was throwing up the previous evening and morning before our departure from Edmonton. The trip was rather tiring though as we traveled for 12 hours not including driving to and from the airports, and our early arrival at the Edmonton airport. A friend from church picked us up, with our 10 pieces of luggage (they have a passenger van) and we were home in bed by 2am Maine time, 12 am Alberta time.

Not surprisingly we didn't celebrete New Years - too tired recovering from the travel and busy unpacking clothes, toys, toys and more toys. We didn't miss celebrating however as we felt we had just spent the last 3 weeks partying.

Started resuming normal life Sunday by going to church and now today of course is Tuesday and life is in full swing. I'm now adjusted to the return of routine, schedules, grocery shopping, meal preparation etc.. It took a few days but I'm feeling normal again.

One of my biggest struggles in coming home was spiritually and emotionally. I had a fantastic time in Alberta, probably the best trip yet. But I didn't read my bible once or write in my journal. I was too busy staying up late, sleeping in, partying, reading novels, visiting, watching movies etc... In coming home I realized that during the last 3 weeks I lost a connection to inner myself. For me this can happen easily when I get out of routine. I'm happy to say and I'm sure you're all relieved to hear (tongue in cheek) that I'm finding myself again. Doesn't that sound hokey but true. Emotionally I've struggled in the past few days as well, adjusting to "home" life. When we arrived in Alberta everyone welcomed us home. When we arrived back in Maine everyone welcomed us "home". I love Maine and feel that I've(we've) really grown a lot here. I've changed in many ways since leaving Alberta and most of those changes I associate with being in Maine - the people, the culture, lifestyle etc... However, part of me - people I love and have a history with, live in Alberta. So part of me remains there while the "new" me, so to speak, lives here. Probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Anyway, the point of all of this is that I'm happy to be home - in Maine. Life is routine again and full of new opportunities and promises for the new year.

Ps. stay posted for the details of the rest of our Christmas holidays.