Re-entry

Life after vacation is tough. As my plane landed in the Austin Bergstrom International Airport last Tuesday, I found my self nauseous. I love my job, and my life in Austin ain't bad, but there's something about life on vacation when you the biggest decision in a day is trying to decide bumming around drinking coffee and then going to walk around downtown Breckenridge or walking around downtown Breckenridge and coming back to the house to be lazy later...yeah, it's a nice change of pace from the long hours at work and more meetings than should be legally allowed in one's life. 

I miss the 10-hours of sleep each night and the hours of life-giving conversations with Julia, Julie and Jessica. I miss waking up on the top bunk in Bri's room and hanging out with Amy. I miss meeting up with college friends for dinner at brewery's in the mountains and hanging out at Wash Park. I miss driving in the snow and wearing big coats. I miss how warm the sun feels right when the clouds break from a fluffy snow storm. And I miss sitting on the couch with Anneke and John - doing nothing - for hours. Yeah, that was nice. 

Re-entry is hard. I started Tuesday of last week in the mountains. I woke up to moon-lit domes shining bright white with snow. It was cold outside. There was ice on some of the roads. The world was quiet. People were just beginning to emerge...to days filled of winter adventures. The roads were curvy and skinny. Everyone was wearing hats and gloves and big coats. And the coffee acquired at a coffee shop on the way down the mountain was appreciated so much more because of how warm it felt. I drove down - physically - for an hour and a half. The sun was rising, piercing the horizon and making it hard to drive, but that's OK. It was worth it. And then I hit Denver. Home Sweet Home...Denver. It was, for me, for a time. But it still feels that way a little. OK...a lot when I'm back to visit.

Being in Austin, like I said, isn't bad. But it's different. It is a great place to live. I love that. But I wonder sometimes if it's home forever. I'm not looking to leave, and when opportunities have come my way, I've not wanted and have chosen not to leave. Go figure? It's home, for now.