stressedbackwardisDESSERTS: Back Through the Wardrobe...

As I type this I am sitting on Scott and Amy's couch, watching the food network, eating yummy pop corn Scott made me, have a full tummy of Mexican food and am overwhelmed that I am in the Northern Hemisphere once again. If you have followed my blog at all, you know that I have equated my time in NZ much to Narnia. There is the whole other world I entered through last January. I have had many adventures, lessons, friendships, heartaches, moments of exhilaration, and memories that will be forever. Tonight I walked back through the Wardrobe to another life.

The reality is that there are plenty of adventures, heartaches, moments of joy and memories to be made, but there is just something so different about this experience in NZ. Today was the longest day of my life...literally. I left NZ on Saturday at 7:15pm and got into LA at 12:30 in the afternoon on the same Saturday...weird, but true. The good-bye was BRUTAL to say the least. Lots of tears, sad good byes and lots more tears. I walked through security in a daze crying as I answered questions and then sat on the plan reading good bye cards crying so hard at one point I couldn't even read the dang card! I cried myself to sleep listening to Coldplay's Viva la Vida album...slept for 10 hours of the flight (had a bit of sleep to get caught up on) and listened to 12 hours of Coldplay and cried for 3 of those...then I landed. The transition was done and the tears were ceased and I walked through the doors into the chaos of LA.

Amy and Audrey were there with huge smiles and plenty of cuddles! We went to Mexican food and headed home to see Zane and Scott. It is a bit surreal to be back, but for now it is as it should be. You just never know where life is going to take you but it will take you lots of places if you let it. I am so thankful for all that I have learned, LOVE my friends deeply that I made in NZ and now set out on this new adventure without a plan--which is a miracle in and of itself.

Here are some FUN pictures from today...

(Mich, Me and J in Auckland bay)