On Traveling

I got home a few days ago from my last trip of the year. This has been a jam packed year of travel so it feels a bit weird to sit in my house without a planned day for my next escape. I keep thinking about planning my next trip but then I realize I have three months of my favorite time of year ahead that I should really focus on. I also decided for many reasons to not go back home for Christmas this year and to spend the holiday here with Jake and possibly his family.

I've been to California twice, Las Vegas, Orlando, Canada and Chicago this year. I've been to both Disney parks this year (which almost made the goal list but I cut at the last minute), I've visited another country for the first time and added Illinois to my list of states I have seen. I have learned a lot about how I travel (I would rather sit in the back of the plane and on the aisle than in the front on the window.) I can also tell you that the Portland airport is the best airport in America and that O'hare is as bad as they say.

I came home from one trip filled with sadness and longing to be somewhere else. I came home from another trip missing Jake and Girlfriend so much. I loved Chicago but wouldn't want to live there. I enjoyed the people in Orlando but I resolved all my notions that maybe I should never have left (I made the right choice.) I learned that I didn't miss anything waiting to go to Vegas as an adult until now and that I need to take a break from visiting Disney parks until some new things open and the magic returns. I learned that time spent and mom and dad's house is always shorter than it seems and you can never fit it all in.

We are having one of those warm Fall days in Portland where it is sunny but I still will wear jeans and bring a sweatshirt but it is okay to just stay inside for most of the day and I can honestly say that I am okay to just be here with my little family of two plus a pup. Plus, there are a million Halloween crafts to be done, pumpkin things to bake and Christmas plans to be made.