Waiting

I left my camera in the UAE when I went home and now I am just waiting for friends and family to send me all the pictures they took when I was home. As soon as I get some I will post all about my 2 weeks at home!

Waiting for you guys...

"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down"

I'm pretty sure I heard Jared humming the tune to this song as he got dressed for graduation tonight. Jared is the last of us to finish highschool and everyone is so excited to be done with the Springfield Public School System. If you can make it out of there you can probably make it out of anywhere- going to school in Springfield allows you to learn a whole lot more than just what the books teach you, it also forces you to learn some street smarts! Here is the whole family including my pregnant sister and Aunt Louyse who flew up from Georgia and has seen each of her nieces and nephews graduate highshool! We are so proud of Jared to be done with highschool and moving along to college. He will start at American International College in the fall and continue to live in Springfield at my parents.

My Country, 'Tis of Thee

Land where my fathers died,

Land of the pilgrims' pride,

From every mountainside

Let freedom ring!

I made it home yesterday evening after about 24 hours of travel. Despite the tornado that touched down in Springfield just a day before I got here, I have had such a warm welcome home with e-mails, phone calls and visits from friends and family. The air is clean, the weather is a perfect 70 degrees and the sun is shining. My parents neighborhood was untouched by the tornado but, not everyone was so fortunate. I already went to the mall and managed to pump the American economy... just doing my service as an American.

I can't wait to see each and every one of you.

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane

My bags aren't packed but I am ready to go. I need to get myself together- I leave to come home in just about 5 hours and I haven't packed a thing. I have ordered new clothes on-line that I sent to my parents house and those might be the only clothes I have at home. I can't wait to see everyone!

I'm looking forward to seeing normal street signs again- I'm realizing that life here really is so different from home!