so long, farewell

Tonight we had a surprise going way party for Matt & Jana at some friends' house. We drove with them with the "plan" being that we would meet at the friends' house and walk to a pub together for a meal tonight. After the party we went back to Matt & Jana's. They are finishing up getting their house ready to go on the market (amidst finishing SUPER busy, demanding positions at work and getting ready to leave for Africa for two weeks).

Jana and I worked on hanging some curtains and deciding what to do with some blinds. Meanwhile, the boys were in their empty living room on camping chairs singing their hearts out while Matt played those darn cowboy songs on the guitar. Jana and I joined them for "one last song." As I was sitting their in their empty house it dawned on me that it would be one of the last times we sit and do that in that house. I bit back the tears but they came pouring out by the time I got to the car door.

I know a life of goodbyes is the life I signed up for, but it's still hard.

I walked in our house tonight and thought about what it will be to leave this chapter. It's going to be really hard. As much as I've really been missing the US lately (I have been desperately wanting a coffee light frappucinio for the last 48 hours but have to spend an hour in a car to get home and back from the closest Starbucks for a fix). I know that the sacrifices I am making are pretty laughable. I was reminded of this on Monday on Memorial Day (that'll be another post this week). Even still, "home" (which to me is at this moment is defined by living somewhere where there are about 3 Starbucks within a 5 mile radius of a house) feels pretty far away. It's going to feel even farther away when our best friends who have made England a bit more like "home" are gone.

I want a real frappicunnio, and I want Matt and Jana to stay. (there's a lot of "me" in that sentence. . . I must decrease HE must increase. . .)