I'm sure there's a proper name for it--the work you begin to do when you're headed home.

There's the logistical work--making sure our bills have been paid at home...examining the shocking hotel bill.  Confirming our flight arrangements, and considering baggage.

But there's also the emotional exiting.  Ala Veggie Tales, we find ourselves taking the moment to look at what we've learned together.  In some ways, we feel as if we've learned nothing. 

We're not particularly emotionally tied to this place.  Surprisingly, we don't remotely feel a call to these people.  We love one of the ethnicities here...but I certainly wouldn't call it a 'call'.  We hadn't planned on having one...but we're still surprised at how unattatched we feel.

In some ways, this trip has tied us to home.  Kind of like Dorothy in the wizard of Oz, we finally realize that 'there's no place like home'.  We miss the Grandparents and Aunts/Uncs.  We miss our yard.  We miss the dog.  We miss our very country--we have a longing for it that we've never felt before. 

This has been so good for us to learn.  We haven't ever really 'settled down' upon buying our house 2 years ago, and switching churches.  We had continued in a partially temporary, partially damaged/hurt mode.

Stepping back from all of that has given us the chance to see what we were missing.  We've been able to see how we've created our own lonely reality at home.  And we're excited to go home to change that.

Eric and I have learned here that we need more time together.  We've become addicted to playing a game of Mancala at exactly 8...and having a glass of wine together.  We hope to remploy this at home. 

We've had a wonderful opportunity to see eachother work under pressure.  Believe me--when things go wrong, this far away from home...you either 'putup,or shutup'.  We've learned how each of us do that.  We make quite a team, now!

We've learned that two sisters, though best friends, CANNOT sleep in a twin size bed together.  They take out all of their natural rivalry towards eachother...while sleeping, once we convince them to sleep! I am so thankful that they didn't ever accidently hurt eachother...and that when we get home, they'll have separate beds again! 

I also can't wait to have our own bathrooms again...'nuff said.

I'll miss laundry service.  Big time.

I'll miss room service even more.

Anyhow.  We have 7 days left.  Just long enough to finish shopping, see the last few unseens...and fly home.  Viva la home!