Reunited!

     My mother is home, my family is complete, and everything's looking up. 

     Today I went to Walmart and ate lunch with DL and MF at the Dixie and it felt great to just do these quintessentially "normal" things. It's funny because I thought it might be weird to see DL and MF again after so long but it was like there'd been no time at all and we picked up right where we left off. DL and I were at the Dixie first and when MF came in we all just made weird faces at each other. And just like that three weeks' time vanished and we were just three friends hanging out at the Dixie (which has been redecorated!) 

     It felt so good just to drive around my hometown and listen to my music and sing along badly. 

     It's funny because DP, who was an exchange student from the Ukraine, said that Americans are super friendly and at the time I was like "Really?" But after being in Europe for three weeks and coming back home, I can definitely say that Americans are, on average, friendlier than Europeans. Maybe it has to do with the language barrier or the fact that I was a foreigner or a tourist, or maybe it's just that home always feels friendlier but I didn't realize how much I missed American congeniality until coming back home. 

     My mom came home today so my dad and I drove to the airport around 6:30 to pick her up but their flight didn't get in until 10 so my dad and I had a while to find parking, take pictures of the rainbow, and chill out in the airport. Reagan Airport is so much nicer than Dulles. It's beautiful. Or at least terminal C is beautiful. 

     When my mom finally arrived, my dad tried to give her a hug before me but my mom pushed him away and told him he didn't get the first hug because it had only been a week for him but it had been almost a month for me. Glad to know I take precedence. ;) One of the girls who went on the trip last year went again this year and she gave me a hug when everyone was on their way to pick up their luggage. It was just nice to know that even after a year, our shared week in Haiti had been enough for us to form a sort of friendship that lasted longer than just that week. It truly is an amazing experience. Hearing all my mom's stories brought back so many memories. The trip this year sounded so different in some ways and yet so similar in others. I'm glad my mom went and I'm also glad I stayed behind, if that makes sense. I think I'll go back next year. Anyway, my mom, dad, and I stayed up until 2AM talking and now I'd love to curl up in my marvelous bed and fall asleep. 

Day 964 Song Recommendation: "Fire" by Barns Courtney. 

Day 965 Song Recommendation: "Harvest Moon" by Neil Young. 

Day 966 Song Recommendation: "Michicant" by Bon Iver. 

-SE Wagner