It was an amazing trip, even waking up to scenes like this were a shock to the system. Almost as surprising as hearing a southern accent in the Seoul airport's English PA announcements. Seriously, how did that happen?
I hadn't seen my parents in three and a half years- our last visit to the states, when we drove north from Mexico in the 2009 hurricane season. Being able to arrive on my father's birthday was really special! We decorated his (German Chocolate) cake with an egg cozy that Mairen had made.
Skype is great for staying in touch, but there's nothing like being together! My brother flew in from Brookline to visit, and brought his three year old daughter- what a joy to meet my niece for the first time. I am one seriously happy auntie.
We did have blue skies... for about a day and a half, as the northern Michigan spring fought hard to come forth. It was at least enough to revisit a favorite spot again: this cool "Turnip Rock" is just down the road, and features in a whoooole lotta my childhood / young adulthood summertime memories.
It was a busy few weeks, trying to find balance between my tendency to purge (amazing how boat living can change the way you feel about Stuff) and my parent's need to take more time, and respect the history and memories that this house holds while thinking about what still has a place in their future. We made it, I helped a little, and we're still talking, so it's all good.
Before flying back to Bali, I spent three days in the home turf of Bainbridge Island. There's really just one picture that sums it up for me:
I'm just going to say that I am one very, very lucky person to call Tracey my friend. We met with babies, and now we've got high school students (eeek!). She helps hold us together back in the states. I will admit: I worried about if it would be hard to jump back in after not seeing her for nearly five years. It wasn't. My heart is full, and I am a ninny for even wondering.
And while my heart-cup runneth over, I was able to see my aunties. These four women are precious, and as i think I may have said a few times that night (I blame the killer Hitchcock martini), they make me feel like I won the jackpot in the auntie lottery.
When I first firmed up plans to go back, the children were all over me- "you're SO LUCKY!" "I'm jealous!" I tried to make them feel better about it- I mean, hey, they were in BALI. It doesn't suck. But it's true: I had a special chance to go home again. We can't afford to fly home as a family, and it was special- they just wanted to share that, to celebrate it with me. The real magic came when I realized how wonderful, how lucky, to be able to actually go home and feel at home. To be welcomed back by friends like Tracey and Joan, like my old Razorfish mates; to see the spring greening the island on familiar ways; to know that this place was one I could always, always come home to.
