Visit

I have decided that sitting in front of the computer in the apartment of my living room is very different from sitting in front of the computer at my parent's house...  My last post just seemed to come naturally and I found the page being filled before I knew it.  Today, I have been sitting in front of the computer for quite some time and have been struggling to know how/where to start.  Obviously I'm back to my apartment and the travel gods blessed me with smooth travels again on the trip back.  I had no issues with either of the two flights and made it back here with no issues (I even rode in a pretty fancy taxi from the airport to my apartment).  Even though the travel back was uneventful, I am finding it more difficult to say "see you next time" to each of my family members.  While I know there will be a next time, I think part of what makes it difficult is because I don't know when it'll be...

I had so much fun visiting with everyone and I didn't want to necessarily come back to my "other" life. Yes, there are times where when visiting family it takes me back to feeling like a kid in my parent's house but that's something that I'm going to have to learn how to get over (as my parent's both told me this trip).  It's nice to know after talking to them that it's not only me that feels that way but they have also felt that way when they go back to visit their parents.  Maybe part of that feeling comes from stepping into their house feels like "home" and even after all of the "personal touches" Mom helped me place around my apartment, it still doesn't feel like home to me.  When I arrived back at my apartment after this trip, I was struck by how quiet things are here.  Even my dogs were calm when I came back which was more than a little creepy for them...  =)

I have been attempting to get myself settled back in after my trip but it has been a little difficult.  Dogs woke me up pretty early yesterday and then we had a very lazy morning on the couch.  About 12:30 or so I realized that I should probably think about getting in the shower, dressed and head to the grocery store to pick some things up since I emptied the fridge before I went on my trip.  After I got back and put the groceries away, I had a chance to get a bite to eat before I had to get ready for a dance gig.  Yes, the day after I got back (very late) from my trip, I had a dance gig.  Luckily it was only a 10 minute gig however, even for the shortest of gigs, it takes me almost an hour to get my make up done and get ready.  Even though I initially didn't want to attend the gig because of exhaustion, I enjoyed dancing as usual and we were very well received by the crowd.  Surprisingly, as we left the gig, we were handed an envelope (we got paid for this gig; which we didn't know about = good surprise!!) and we each were given a bottle of wine.  I never expect to get paid for a dance gig but it is always nice when it happens (especially, when on top of it, it's an amount that is more than I've personally received for any dance gig!).

Today I had to get up for a dance rehearsal for a performance tomorrow night.  When I got home, the reality set in that in just a couple of days, I have to get back into my "usual routine."  I know in my head that's the reality of the situation but my heart is telling me that I'm not quite ready to do so yet.  My head is telling me that if I get back into that routine of the day to day business it would probably help with this feeling of loneliness I've been dealing with.  I've been back for about two days now and I am missing the hustle and bustle of people coming and going from my parent's house (even though I'm sure on one hand they are reveling in the fact that their house is quieter again).  I'm missing my parents.  I'm missing my brothers, my sister, my sister-in-law and my brother-in-law.  I'm missing my nephews.  I'm even missing my Mom and Dad's silly, crazy dogs.  Granted, it helps to look at the photos that were taken while I was there but I still miss being around my family.

Since it's been an emotional, exhausting couple of days, I think I'm going to sign off for tonight.  I think I'm going to take a walk down memory lane and look at some photos, think about all of the fun I had on my trip, reflect on the past year and look towards the possibilities of the year ahead.  I hope that you are able to do the same, dear readers and I hope we have a blessed year in 2013!