Back in the USA, Post R&R Blues

I have been back in the States for about a week now (WOO-HOO!), which makes me a terrible blogger that I haven't posted at all during this week. Let's just say, a few weeks in Europe makes me so appreciative of personal transportation (cars), hearing English, and air conditioning.

In my defense, dragging around a 50-pound rolling bag, 25-pound carry on, and 10-pound purse through three airports last week resulted in a terribly painful pulled lower abdominal muscle. So I spent about three days laying in bed, icing my sad muscle, and praying that I would be able to function in society once again. Now I'm almost all better!

I am in North Carolina for the rest of this week before I go home to Atlanta to visit my family. I am going to try and blog all about my amazing 20-day European adventure during this week. I have lots of great pictures, yummy food stories, and wacky history facts to share!

But on a sadder note, it has been 13 days since I said a blubbery, teary-eyed bye-bye to Dustin at the airport in Rome. And these 13 days have seemed harder than the entire six months leading up to R&R. When Dustin left the first time, I didn't know what to expect, and having lived by myself for two years prior to marriage, I settled into the "by myself" routine pretty easily. Yea, it always sucked not having our date night every Friday night after a week of work, but it was pretty easy to adjust to riding in a car alone, cooking for one, and shopping by myself (who am I kidding, I shop by myself when Dustin is home - he HATES shopping).

After spending two weeks with him no further than ten feet away from me at any time, having him thousands of miles away SUCKS. I just forgot how nice it was to have that hand to hold, the shoulder that my head fits on just perfectly, and someone to laugh at my stupid jokes. And his voice just sounds - different - on the phone than it does in person. And I miss hearing his live voice.

Anyway, enough woe is me talk. Let me just assure you that my brain is pretty much 100% committed toward counting down to his homecoming, which rumor has it may be a couple months earlier than anticipated. I will be crossing my fingers for sure! So, check back the next few days for posts of the European vacation!