for every step of life, for every moment of joy!

Well, I am home! Cathy dropped me off at the Domodedovo airport at 5 in the morning. My plane to Frankfurt left at 7:05 a.m.

So, Jess & I have been talking about whether I would have "culture shock" when I came back to America, and I was thinking probably not. I thought the only way I'd have culture shock is if I were coming from...I don't know, like the African bush or something. But when I got to Germany, I was amazed.....dumbfounded by how nice and friendly everyone was. All the workers had a big smile on their face, and they were respectful and cordial. I was like, "What alternate reality am I in?" It was the weirdest thing.

There was an hour and a half delay in Frankfurt, but other than that it was a-okay. I've been impressed with Lufthansa airlines. The flight to Atlanta was particularly awesome because a) it was during the daytime so I got to see the ocean (unlike last time when I flew during the night), b) the seat next to me was empty, and c) every single seat had a TV with a bunch of different movie and TV options. I watched this German flick called Buddenbrooks: Decline of a Family. I did not like it at all.

Pictures from up above:

A still chilly Canada.

Germany.

I really like this picture.

At passport control in Atlanta, the girl said, "Hi, how are you doing today?" and then checked my passport and declaration form, and she concluded with saying, "Thank you. Have a nice day!"

So completely different from the death glare I got from the Russian chick at passport control. She looked like she wanted to murder me. It was crazy.

As I was going up the escalators, I was completely surprised. My friends, Jess, Amber, and Sam all were there with posters and American flags (hahaha), and my dad, sister, and nephew were there with signs too. Luke, my nephew, ran out past security to greet me, and the security guy thought it was "cute" and let him go. Haha. I was...boohooing like a baby, of course. I was SO surprised and SO glad to be home.

They drew St. Basil's! Isn't that awesome?!?! They're great.

:) I'm glad to be home.

After that I got to choose what restaurant to go to. So, we went to Cracker Barrel. :) Good southern cookin'. I think I drank three glasses of sweet tea. :) Hahaha. Fried chicked, fried okra, French fries... I like fried food evidently. Haha. I read this quote the other day: "I've never heard anybody say, 'Gee, golly, I can't wait to get up to New York so I can have some of that good Yankee food.'"(Paula Deen). Haha. I love that.

It's weird. Now that I am back...Amber & Charles might be moving to the French Alps (crazy people), and Sam is definitely moving to Barbados. Jess is going away to seminary in North Carolina. Michial is moving to Florida, and Michael is moving to South Korea. Dori is going back to Peru in a couple of weeks. Tim & Beth, of course, are staying in Moscow for the next two to three years. People, people, people. Sigh. Such is life though. I suppose it is good to have friends all over the world because then I can just go stay with them whenever I get the travelin' bug.

So, now life is wonderfully slow. It's been thundering and raining all morning, and I have the windows open. It feels/sounds wonderful. I haven't heard thunder or felt rain in four months. I have missed it! Everything smells different here. It smells earthy, dirty, and wet. It's wonderful. Everything sounds different too, namely, bug noises and bird noises...and wind through the trees noise. Except for pigeons and crows, the only noise I heard in Russia was traffic.

I am finishing up my portfolio, hanging out at TFC for awhile next week, graduating, etc. Hopefully I'll get a teaching job in the area for next year. The future is a blur, but it'll be okay. Right now I'm just taking things as they come.

Thank you to everyone who kept up with the blog & posted comments during my time in Russia. I am really thankful that you all took an active interest in my life over there. It was hard sometimes being over there and not having the comforting familiarity of friends and family, but I always had your emails & blog comments to look forward to every time I woke up.

Glory to you, who has called me to life.
Glory to you, who has revealed to me the beauty of the universe.
Glory to you, who has opened up before me heaven and earth as an eternal book of wisdom.
Glory to your "eternalness" amidst a temporary world.
Glory to you for your secret/mysterious/hidden and obvious/evident mercies.
Glory to you for every sigh of my breast.
Glory to you for every step of life, for every moment of joy;
Glory to you, God, forever.

Love,
Meredith