The hardest part about living overseas...

Family.

When family passes from this world.

When family joins this world.

Weddings

Births

Deaths

Accidents

Joys

Kids growing

These are the hard things to miss when you're far far away from your family.  

Do we fly home?  

How fast can we get home?  

What is the price of a ticket?  

Does the cost matter?  

When do we go?  

What will we miss?  

But it's part of the choice.  

We know that we will be here for our families no matter what.

Even living far far away.  

And I keep in my mind, everyone is only a plane ride away.  

The hardest part about living overseas is being far away when it's important to be close by.

Today I'm thankful that I can be home when I need to be.

Home Turf

Upon landing in Portland, I had a sudden feeling of nerves.  Why?  I couldn't pinpoint it, but it quickly subsided as I walked into PDX, my old home airport.  There was something settling about the green and blue criss-cross carpet and the REI gear everyone was wearing.  These are my people.  This is the place in America I fit the best.  I was reminded again and again of this while talking politics with friends or education with Grandpa or family drama with Mom.  If I were to pick somewhere in America to live, it would still be the Northwest.  My voice can get a twang from being in the South, I can listen to the ideas of an East Coast friend, and I can understand the small town view of my mid-west coworkers.  But I still feel the most like those from the Northwest.  I think I forget this sometimes as I'm exposed to more Americans from my ventures abroad.  But family and friends reminded me that I'm still an American girl no matter how far I go.  So thank you to all my family and friends for a wonderful trip to Oregon!  Next time, I'll drag Will along.

(Ok, most of these pictures are old, but they'll have to do because I forgot my camera in Budapest.)

Sweet Bekah

Newberg Friends

Kelsey Girls

 Grandma and Grandpa

 Mom

Southern Summer

It's been a busy couple weeks traveling through several Southern states visiting family and friends.  We haven't melted yet in the heat and humidity, but I have froze in the AC.  Having to put on a sweater when I go indoors makes no sense to me!  Some of my Southern Summer Highlights include:

My first Porter family vacation,
Fishing with my nephew,
Seeing Clayton (a good friend from Kenya),
Tubing with the fam,
Cuddling and wrestling with my nephews,
Family dinners,
Lazy afternoons,
Conversation,
Time with family.

Thank you Porters for a great time!

Now it's time to do some laundry to go see my West Coast family and friends.