You thought I was done with trip posts, didn't you?
Well, this is the last one. Ironically, the first quarter of the trip got five blog posts - and the last three quarters get one. Just one.
Not that nothing happened. I just didn't take as many pictures.
Abigail and Emily dropped me off in Houston. From there I flew to Colorado to spend several days with my friend Brittany. After that I flew on to Michigan to visit my friend Esther. Finally, I flew to Maryland and stayed with Mom's Aunt Linda and Uncle Tom for a bit.
And then, almost three weeks after leaving, I returned to California...and normal life. (Whatever that is supposed to mean!)
Anyway, here is photo documentation and a bit of commentary on the rest of the trip.
Colorado -
I hadn't seen Brittany in well over two years - since Sarah and Brian's wedding. When she met me at the airport, there was predictable squealing and great big hugs, followed by exclamations like...
"I can't believe you've been in Africa for two years!"
"And I can't believe you're married now!"
It's been a long-standing tradition that when our families get together, we get pizza. Well, that Sunday we stopped at Costco after church and grabbed some pizza when our shopping was done. Tradition lives on. :)
Side note: major reverse culture shock going into Costco! Bigger is not necessarily better...but it certainly is American. It was enough to make my head spin. I was like, Why do these people want to buy so much of the same stuff at once?
Another side note: Brittany and her family served in South America. I can't even tell you how much it meant to be able to talk with someone who had been through the whole cross-cultural experience (and returning to the US). It such a relief to let everything out and know that she'd understand.
She took me to see her classroom one day. Doesn't she look so cute sitting at her desk, all teacher-y?
Colorado is breathtakingly beautiful. I enjoyed the scenery to the fullest. (Although the dryness killed me!) And it was fun to check another state off my list.
California, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Maryland, West Virginia, Florida, and now Colorado. :)
One day we took a tour of Celestial Seasonings.
"This was great. I love tea! It's my one weakness."
"Rach, that's like the third 'one weakness' you've had today."
Oh. I'd lost track.
This was her "Come on, you need to be in the picture, too" face.
This was my "Really, Britt, I don't need my picture taken" face...after she grabbed the camera from me. She's a rascal like that. ;)
Another day, we visited a park called "Garden of the Gods". I'm not exactly where the name came from, but the park was impressive, with all those jagged rock formations towering above our heads.
God is a most amazing artist.
An African meal: mafé, bissap, and bouye.
I think the dinner was a success. :)
(Thanks to Brittany for pictures 1, 8, 27, 28, 31, and 33.)
Michigan -
Esther didn't have too much planned, which ended up being quite nice. We mostly just hung out, took evening strolls around the neighborhood, watched Cranford and some Hallmark series.
It was honestly the first time in...well, I'm almost ashamed to admit how long...that I had a chance to really just be. I'm sure I was in much more desperate need of that than I had realized. Since I got back, I hadn't really had to do that much processing of the move, the future, etc.. It was as if it was all waiting to pounce on me the minute I stopped going, going, going.
But I digress. :)
Esther and Harold were very good company indeed, and I'm so happy it worked out to visit when it did.
Meet Harold. Or Harold the Cat, as Esther's friend's little boy calls him.
He had a penchant for boxes.
And beds. Specifically, sleeping on them.
I know, I know. Nothing unusual for a cat.
Jackie joined us one morning for we a walk at a local conservation park. (Jackie and her husband were two of our small group leaders at MTC. And a fabulous small group it was. :))
Nature walks are my one weakness.
We saw a bunch of cool plants and wildflowers, chipmunks, woodpeckers, tiny frogs. And a snake - a snake that we thought was either dead or fake (that's not as strange an idea as you might think; there was a fake bird near one of the park signs). It didn't move when Jackie threw a stick at it in the pond, but when we walked past later on our way out, it was gone.
Creepy.
After our walk we had a little picnic. It was just the thing.
(I stole those two park pictures from Esther. Clearly I was very bad about taking any pictures while I was there...)
Maryland -
It had been nearly three years since I was last there, and it was just as gorgeous as I remembered. Aunt Linda and Uncle Tom are the most wonderful hosts. They're fun, good story-tellers, and Aunt Linda is a great cook.
(Psst! Patty, I saw these two fawns in their yard one day and had to take pictures for you.)
Family get-together!
I got to meet a few relatives I hadn't met before: a first cousin once removed, two first cousins-in-law once removed (I'm pretty sure that isn't a real term, but it works for me), and two second cousins.
It was so great to see everyone, to laugh and eat and tell stories together.
And there you go. My brilliant grand tour.
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