Intermission

According to Shakespeare, "All the world's a stage."  And it is.  My first blog before I left for Algeria was titled "Prelude" so it's only appropriate that this blog, while I am again in Maryland preparing to head back to Algeria, is titled "Intermission."  And what an amazing intermission it's been!!

There was never a doubt that this chance to live in Algeria was an opportunity of a lifetime.  But I never considered how being in a situation away from home, and coming back to visit, is also in many ways an opportunity of a lifetime.  People get so caught up in the day to day to dos that we often don't have the time to simply be around to hang out and catch up with those important to us.  I wish everyone could have the experience I've had the past 2 months while home.  With no work and few worries, I've been blessed to focus on what who really matters.  There is truly no feeling in the world like the feeling you get when you see a great friend/mom/dad/sister/loved one for the first time in a while.  The feeling reminds me of when Sean and I got married, and he saw me for the first time in my wedding dress.  Simply magical.  It's butterflies and anticipation and excitement.  It makes you want to laugh and cry and dance and scream all at the same time.  In a word, it's "super-cala-fragi-listic-expi-ali-docious" (unless you saw the SNL episode with Anne Hathaway where that means an STD liver disease-- it's not like that at all). 

Over the past 2 months, my life has been filled with a wedding, yummy catching-up lunches/dinners, first Buckingham family Christmas at my house, Raven's football parties on our big screen, Mario Kart drunk driving (don't knock it til you try it), movies, happy hours, in-law time (and I'm so lucky to have the best in-laws), and even a little 1st grade team planning (which is so much less stressful when you're just sitting in on the meeting).  And a lot of that was before Sean came home to visit, but there's also nothing like him being home too.  It's kinda crazy how happy it makes me seeing him nap on our couch, and how we can do nothing all day and still have the best time together.

Basically I've been happier than a pig in sh.. poop.  But while I wouldn't change the past month for anything, the end of my visit has snuck up on me, and there are still things I wish I'd gotten to do, and even more, people I wish I'd gotten to see before leaving again.  And that sucks.  But again, I wish everyone could have the experience I'm having, not only for that great feeling I mentioned before, but also for the lesson in time.  "Life is short"... so cliche... but when you only have 2 months, you realize how true it is.  In the beginning of 2 months, I felt I had endless time.  After New Years I was still saying "I'm here until the end of January.  We have so much time."  And really, how many times in your life have you said "we got time" or "let's do _____ sometime."  But those phrases allow life's stresses to come up, things to get put off, and more time to pass until those moments happen. DON'T WAIT!!  While I haven't gotten to everything on my Maryland list, I've done most of it, and I have learned to change the "let's do lunch sometime" to "let's do lunch on Friday."  Such a small thing, such a huge difference.  I've gotten to spend time with old friends that I've been meaning to see for years... things never happened... but now they have. 

I'm feeling slightly preachy at the moment, but I hope I can pass this wisdom I've learned on, as I know few people will have their husband get a job in another country, agree to move there, and have the experiences and feelings that I've had :-)   So in that light, it's less preachy, and more appreciate.

In a few days, January 28th, we're headed back to Algeria.  Anyone who follows world news knows Algeria is not necessarily the place you want to be right now.  But it is what it is, and I've learned you can't let fear of what might happen consume you.  Anything new or unexpected brings 2 emotions: fear and excitement.  Sometimes fear may trump, sometimes excitement trumps.  But those 2 emotions are always present.  For me, knowing that, brings strength when fear is all I'm thinking.  (I cannot take credit for this insight... full credit goes to Ms. Kofi Berry who changed my life with this statement)  If I let fear overtake me, I wouldn't have the insight I do, the experiences I've had (in Algeria and back home), or be the person I now am.  At the end of the day, you have to look out for your safety, but not let fear hold you back.  I will be more aware, I will take precautions, and I probably won't go for runs alone, but I will not let fear hold me back.  And on that note, please pray for my mother, who will be freaking out until I'm home again.  I love you Mom!!

I guess it's time to say good bye.  I keep thinking I'll get used to saying good bye, but I'm just a home-body at heart that hates change, so I guess it never will.  And it's as hard, if not harder, than back in August when I left for the first time.  Being "back" makes it more difficult to leave again, for all the reason mentioned before.  But this is the journey that I'm on with my wonderful, protective, loving husband...and I will soon be back again.  While I'm definitely soooooo sad to be leaving, I am excited to see what happens next.

Before the end, I have to apologize to those that have actually been reading my blog that I kinda slacked on.  Blogging is new to me, and in Algeria I wasn't sure who even cared if I blogged.  Now I know.  Again I feel blessed, hearing how many people cared about my blog, and enjoyed reading about the shenanigans Sean and I got in to in Algeria.  I promise to keep it up and hopefully be a little more consistent. 

OK, I'm procrastinating.  I could do special shout outs, but really... you know you who you are.  To those people... thank you, I love you, and I can't wait to see you so soon!  You are the best, you fulfill my life, and I don't know where I'd be how I'd deal without you.  I may be far away, but I am never without you, and you give me the strength to do what I'm doing.  Good bye America... see you in April!!