Well, today is day 2 of being back in Michigan. It feels normal and natural to be here. Almost eerie like I never was gone for a year. Mom told me it would feel this way, mom’s always know everything. Just comes with the title I guess. I have seen a bunny, duck, robin, crow, and squirrel since being back. American ducks are so beautiful! And squirrels are so cute! The grass and trees are the most vibrant green. The toilets are so shallow here, and so full of water! I think it’s weird looking.

Shrea has been here for the past evening and night. We’ll spend part of today together as well. It’s great to spend time with her again, it’s been a year, but it just feels like a few months that we’ve been apart. Being with someone you’ve known your while life is so relaxing. It’s fun to know so much of someone. I love Shrea. She is sleeping, I will wake her up once I am done writing in here.

Today is Kristina’s 25th birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTINA!!! I am bummed I missed out on the celebration of her life. I was with her in spirit. I miss her. I can’t wait to see her and her family soon. They have such a place in my heart. No one like them.

I’ve adjusted alright to the time difference, I’ve been going to bed at 1:30am and getting up at 7am. Yesterday I went back to bed after I woke up from 8:30am until 2pm. Today I got up chatted with Dad before work, and chatted with mom before she left to bring my grandma to an appointment, and then I went for a 2 mile run. It was hard. I have not kept up my running enough. I will get it back. Especially with a Dad that runs all the time. I’ve got a 5K on Saturday with mom. And Dad is doing a 25K.

The trip home was long, and already feels ages ago that I came home. I’ve been having fun finding my stuff that I’ve left. So far I’ve found a fair bit that I wonder why I didn’t take it with me! Then I remember how little you can bring.

I have yet to put everything away. I’ll do that soon, it’s all in the closet.

OH!! I forgot to say, my parents, grandma, Aunt Pattie, and Shrea were at the airport waiting patiently for me. With a huge sign my parents made. It was so lovely and thoughtful. We walked out to the car, and I saw that my mom had got a new car. It is beautiful! And she and dad have given me her old car! So, I have a car!! A nice car! Praise God. So wonderful. Then yesterday, my parents said they had to leave to do something, they took off and came back with a bag. Then then proceeded to give me a 64GB Ipod touch! Dad thought it would be nice so I can talk to Mick easier without having to be in the computer room all the time!!! :) I was shocked. It is beautiful and white. And just wonderful!

Anyways, I am going to go get Shrea rea up.

( Michael, I miss you <> 97 )

I am home. It is great. I am sleepy. I miss Michael. I’ll write more later.

night.

I am a huge fan of The Fray, and I stumbled across this ( what a funny phrase ) on YouTube yesterday, and I am now obsessed. Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, and then repeat.

Another camel photo for those of you who keep asking where you sit. Here is a nice side view.

This is a Goanna, a large lizard found in Australia. I’ve seen about 6 this past year, most of which while camping. But, this one here is found a few meters from the beach at a cafe’.

Views from a path Mick and I ran while we were in Port Macquarie in the mornings before he headed to work. It is stunning!

Photo I have sent to Ellen, thanks Abbey Cat.

Well, there are now only 2 FULL days left until I head back to the home land.

And I was able to witness a LIVE, yes LIVE infomercial. Well, no it wasn’t being filmed, but it was good enough to have been. And of course, Mick and I purchases the Euro Kitchen Professional Set, which includes: Euro Slicer, Euro Shredder, Metal Peeler, and a pair of Euro Scissors, + a metal peeler with no purchase just for listening to the spiel. All valuing $85 or $95 dollars I can’t remember, but we got this not in store special for $35.88!! And split that in half and you’ve got yourself one amazing deal!We were in Big W printing photos and they had this announcement over the speakers and we thought we’d check it out. Good thing we did! It was only on for 2 minutes!

Also, today was thrilling because I was sent a photo from my friend Abbey, which was funny. And I thought it would be an excellent photo to send into Ellen, and so I’ve emailed the photo to Ellen. And fingers crossed she likes it. :) Who doesn’t want to make Ellen smile. She makes me smile. Anyways. I love Ellen.

Gloria is making some more orange almond cake. I think she’s made at least 5 recently. They are so good, she is an expert. If you ever want to make an orange almond cake, let me know I’ll get the recipe from her. Though, it won’t be as good as Gloria’s but, I am sure it will still be edible.

I’ve got mostly everything packed up, binned up and ready to go. Oh, also today I found a pretty puzzles book of word searches.( it has a pretty cover ) I look forward to using this when I am waiting anywhere.

My “to-do” list is dwindling down, to just a few things left, moving some more photos from my computer to my usb, closing my bank account, making some phone calls, picking up the Sam’s car we are using get to Sydney ( THANK YOU SAM! ), and finalizing the packing and weight of the bags.

Speaking of weight of bags, Gloria has this brilliant little digital luggage scale that works for weights up to 44kgs/100lbs. How you use it is; push on, clip to handle of suitcase, wait for it to read all zeros, then lift, wait for the beep, set it down, and read the weight. BRILLIANT! I only have one bag for free, so I am going to attempt to fit it all in one bag, I don’t reckon it will work. But, I can at least try. At the moment the bag weights 10kilos so there is still a bit of room. ( it can weight up to 23kilos )

Tonight I am going out to dinner with a few people, we are going in town to a Thai restaurant. The last week of anything is always filled with goodbyes. Planning on returning makes that must easier. Time will keep going by and before I know it I’ll be saying hello again.

Speaking of hello. I am looking forward to many hello’s in America! :) I can’t wait to visit and catch up and see where life has changed in a year with so many different people. The other day while I was still half asleep I was picturing myself in my room in my parents house, and for a brief moment I thought I was there, until I opened my eye of course. It is going to very great to be with my family again. And that will be in just a few days, Lord willing of course.

I just found a cricket in the house, he was grey I kicked him to the door, and then out the door. Soft kicks, I have on socks, he was fine.

I am having a glass of water, it is so very refreshing, once I’ve tried water with a slice or two of cucumber, and surprisingly it is not gross as is sounds. It is very refreshing like average water but, with a bit of interest. I suggest if you have not had 8 glasses of water today, (even more if you have been sweating) that you should have one. I think you’ll be thankful you did. Just had another sip, oh so good.

God bless you, I am thankful He gave you life today, and I pray you listen to what He has for you to do and learn today. I’ll leave you with this poetic verse from Joshua chapter seven end of verse five, “And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.”

Tim, Kristina, and I two years ago when I came out.

Mick, I, Kristina, and Tim on our Melbourne trip earlier last year, how gorgeous is the sunset!