Months before I left, Africa was all that I spoke about, all that I thought about. I spent all my time preparing and getting ready.
Now that I'm home, everyone has been asking me how it was, what I did, if I miss it, everything.
I've been home a month and a half now, and the questions are coming less frequently, but the flashbacks are not.
I think of my home in Tanzania almost constantly.
I look through the pictures of my kids every chance I get, and not a night has gone by where i haven't dreamed of at least one of my wonderful housemates.
My suitcase still sits on my floor, waiting to be emptied.
I understand that is ridiculous, but I just cannot bring myself to do it. Emptying my suitcase is the final step to completely transitioning into life here. (Symbolically, that is. Realistically, it's just a mess in my room.)
The difficulty I am faced with right now is that, for the past year or so, my life has revolved around Africa, and now it doesn't.
The most common question I get asked is, "what next?"
My response is, "Well, next, I'm going to PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE for asking me questions I cant answer!" ...I mean "Oh, I don't know yet, we'll see where the wind takes me."
There are very few things I know for sure in this life.
Those things include:
1. God watches over me and I am never left hanging for long.
2. Yelling at a person is never the best option.
3. If you get too adventurous with the toaster oven, it will start a fire.
Everything else is a maybe.
Hopefully I'll see my kids again, hopefully I'll be back in Africa soon.
Those are the things I'm planning for, but I have learned to see where life takes me. And I've learned to trust life. So far, it has taken me to some pretty incredible places.
For now, I am just biding my time, working, cultivating my wonderful friendships, watching Downton Abbey, taking pictures of my dog, and training for a half marathon.
We'll see where the wind takes me.
