4 suitcases
3 continents
2 planes
1 extended Friday where we traveled 8 hours back in time
We're home. We're back.
We got off the plane on Friday afternoon, got in a familiar
car, drove on an always sucky highway, and ate familiar food. (In the last two days, we've had: Bacon burgers,
Shipley's donuts, Chick-fil-A, BBQ, and Mexican food)
Let's rewind to the middle of May when we were officially
ready to get out of Kuwait. This is a hard month for all teachers in general
because let's face it...we're just flat out tired. Then add being an expat in a
Muslim country during Ramadan on top of teacher tired...whew! Then also add temperatures ranging from 110 to 120 degrees each day. Let's just say I
wasn't a pleasant person towards the end. I found myself becoming easily
annoyed with every part of my day. "I just want to go home," was a
phrase I repeated multiple times a day. Of course, home referring to our cozy
suburb outside of Dallas.
Fast forward to last day of work (Thursday) and also the day
of our "Freedom" flight. So many mixed emotions as I finished packing
our bags and saying goodbye to people that we spend every single day with. A
friend jokingly asked if we would be returning for our 2nd year in Kuwait and I
gave the biggest Kanye shrug. AJ and I have been consumed with trying to figure
out what's next for us. Do we go back to America after our contract ends? Do we
stay in Kuwait? Do we go teach in another country? Will the rapture happen and
save us from hard decisions?
These are obviously some serious questions coming from a
family who literally can't decide what we want to eat on a daily basis. We
agreed that the summer would be the test. Do we really miss America or is it
just the people and the stuff that our hearts are longing for?
Ready for the answer? {drum roll, please}
After 48 hours back in the great state
of Texas, we have come to this conclusion...
We don't miss America at all. We thought we did, and then we got here and realized nothing has changed. AJ has the
thickest stack of mail I've ever seen. I received two 1-800 calls within hours
of reactivating my phone. "There's a cop, slow down now." Gas is high. To drive on the tollway and pay dollars
per exit or not. Car insurance and registration AND inspection this month.
AT&T is charging how much for these phones? I forgot (but was quickly
reminded) how stressful it is being a middle class citizen in this country.
Here's what I must have been missing all those weeks that my
attitude sucked and I begged to go home. These people. This is what we missed:
Thankful for family and friends who welcomed us back with
all the hugs and kisses.
You're the part of America that will always be great!
If yall could just move overseas with us, I would be one happy, complete girl.
(P.S. Sophie is going back with us!)
On August 20 we'll head back to Kuwait with full hearts and
renewed energy. We'll get a new group of 4th and 5th graders. We'll go back to
eating at Cheesecake Factory with our friends. But in the meantime, we'll be in
Texas soaking up new memories with all the people we missed for the next 10 weeks.
Our summer adventures include the following:
Puerto Rico
St. Thomas
St. Thomas
St. Lucia
Barbados
St. Maarten
St. Kitts
Cuba
San Diego
Catch us if you can!
XOXO
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