there's never a right time......to say goodbye

monday and tuesday were hard days...i said adios to spain but i personally prefer hasta luego. i had the pleasure of spending my last hours in spain with antonio y angel who so graciously drove me to the bus station at 5:40 a.m..don't we look lively after being up all night?...all day monday i spent time with close friends, packing and making a goodbye video in spanish for tuesday nights dinner.

and tuesday i was officially "THAT girl" once again. it is not uncommon for me to be 'that girl' just it varies between different "that"'s...you know what i mean?

i worked so hard at keeping myself composed and together while with my friends in salamanca that i had no energy left by the time i boarded the bus. when i sat down in seat #3 where i could look out the front window and watch us drive behind angel and antonio out of salamanca on our way to madrid, i became that girl so in love with a country, a culture, a people and new friends that i cried my entire way back to dallas. yes that is a 2.5 hour bus ride, 3 hour wait, 8 hour flight, 1.5 hour wait and 3.5 hour flight....that's right 18.5 hours of being that girl. i tried to sleep most of the time away, because it's exhausting being that girl. i think that now a few days later i have myself a little more composed and under control....i am feeling better about being home.

once i had left salamanca i thought i would gain a renewed sense of being excited about coming home, but that was quickly dashed when i sat down on the plane and the blonde girl came up and loudly, nasaly and ungraciously kicked a little old woman out of the seat that she had accidently wrongly sat in. at that moment i knew i was not yet ready to face amercian culture at large. i pridefully dismissed her as some heartless and cold northern lady, excited that people in the south and Texas were sweet and full of southern hospitality. i had to eat my words (thoughts) when i later found out that this blondie was actually from san antonio....dang it!

do not get me wrong. i really am glad to be home!! i have loved seeing my family and my friends!! every moment i am home i am more glad. it does not make me miss spain any less, i miss it, however it makes life more enjoyable here. since being home i have been able to talk to my friends in spain, enjoyed lunch both days with dear friends, dined with an old roommate, experienced the andrew peterson 'behold the lamb of God' dvd, enjoyed some good time at ihop with my favorite ihop frequenters. i absolutely cannot get enough quality time with my family and friends! (so let's have some quality time okay?)........i am blessed!

stay tuned for the little joys and pleasures of living in spain.........