Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Home from home

We're back.

After many miles flown, the Chou and I have come home to our tiny apartment overlooking our busy street in one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen. It's good to be home, but at the same time, it feels like I was home and so my head, heart and body just don't know what to think.

Spending as long as I did out west made me homesick for it (if it's possible to miss something while you're in it). We've left so many great people behind and seeing them almost makes it too hard to come back.

But then I open the door to my own space, where the husband has left flowers to be found on our return, and I'm glad to be here. I love our little corner of this city. I'll be glad to sleep in my own bed. Chou is breaking her old crib in once again, and I think she's very glad to be doing so.

And then there's my training. Sure, I got four runs in while out west, but I'm itching to get into a routine again and start racking up the miles on my new Sauconys.

But before I forget and get too caught up in being home, let me recap some of the highlights of this last kick at the maternity leave can:

1. Running with my running buddy, on crunchy snow, on a flat course, knowing sweet Chou is taken care of, and then
2. Heading out in the perfect clear, endless sunshine that only can happen on the prairies, for a lovely sleigh ride with my whole fam damily (minus the husband, of course), and my running buddy being good enough to join us
3. Dinner with the whole family - the ruckus made with all of us in one room is something akin to a roar. I've missed it.
4. Shoe shopping, or rather shoe buying
5. Sipping many cups of coffee with Lynda the wonder farmer and then hanging out in the barn with her 40 cows and our two babies, breastfeeding on a straw bale.
6. J-9 being sweet enough to let me take my old pony around a few poles at a friend's. That is one sweet little horse.
7. Seeing the husband's family's faces light up when they finally got to meet our little wonder Chou
8. Meeting Kate's not one, but two daughters who magically happened in the few years since we've seen each other.
9. Having my youngest (but not littlest) sister in law kick my ass at Wii, but then running circles around her (she's 11, but going on 17) after she asked to join me on a run.
10. Watching my dad, ever the hard ass, turn to mush and baby talk with Chou - I never thought I'd see the day.

And now, I've got a pile of mail to wade through, appointments to make that I've put off, a daycare integration to take on and work to start on Tuesday. It never ends. But I will leave you with this. She's so cute.


Baby's first ride on the lovely Ticker

Playing window stickers with Newt

The kid just has bad hair

Playing piano with Auntie Ili

No comments: