Coming Home

We have been lucky to be able to go home for a visit before heading out to our post in Brazil.  We flew all day and arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area around commute time.  It felt so good to be home!  I was amazed at how normal it felt.  In many ways, it seemed as though the last 9 months in Virginia were just a dream.  If not for the fact that I can still speak Portuguese, it might have been.  It felt as though we would just drive across the Bay Bridge and park in front of our house on our wonderful street, head inside and be in our own beds with our cozy sheets.  But, that's not the case.  Our home in Berkeley is no more and we've moved out of our Oakwood Virginia home and have yet to arrive in our home in Brazil.

But luckily we are with family and that's home too!

It's so nice to be back in California.  As beautiful as Virginia and the East Coast is, and as much as I'm looking forward to exploring the world - California is definitely my home.  The sky, the air and the terrain are just amazing.  We've been in the Gold Country and in Carmel / Big Sur and it's all just magnificent!

I had forgotten how much I love the California lifestyle - Californians live life outside and in harmony and balance with nature.  There are so many outdoor activities - even when it's chilly.  And the food!!!  I had forgotten how truly wonderful good food could be.  And it's all over - neighborhood cafes serving fabulous coffee; local butcher shops that are ecological responsible and community minded, great artisan cocktails, amazing ethnic foods that are complex and interesting and authentic.  We also got to visit the great Berkeley food Mecca - the Berkeley Bowl.









We got our doctor's visits taken care of.

And just had some great hang-out times with dear friends!

It's been great to reconnect with family and close friends, but it's also been exhausting!  When I planned our schedule, I wanted to make sure we all got the time we needed with the people we needed.  But I forgot to schedule quiet time for us.  This whirlwind trip has been wonderful -  but I think we'll also be ready for some quiet time when we head to Brazil.