Home safely

Sharon/me home in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA

I arrived home safely late Friday night.  It's hard to believe that I was Germany just a day ago, and now I am in Erie, Pennsylvania.  It was a very long travel travel day and really difficult to leave.  Ashley saw me to my train platform to take the 1.5 hour train from Wuerzburg to the Frankfurt airport.  Once the train pulled out, I got emotional, realizing that I was leaving such a great experience.  But I enjoyed the beautiful countryside, and even befriended a young woman on the train who was also going to the airport, so I was sure to get off at the right stop.  Once at the airport, I found the check-in and my gate with some difficulty, but by now I was used to traveling in foreign airports, so I just asked someone to help me find my way.  I traveled from Frankfurt to Toronto on an 8 hour flight, and then from Toronto to Cleveland.  I arrived home at 12:30pm, which would have been 6:30am Europe time.  Even though I was so tired, I smiled as I walked into welcome home signs, a stocked fridge and cupboards, and even fresh flowers.  My family and friends are amazing.  I felt so loved.

I slept through the night and it was so strange to wake up in a place by myself.  For 2 1/2 months, I've lived in community and haved dined with others.  So, I had to adjust to being on my own again.  I talked with the neighbors and have already arranged to spent more time having tea with my 80-year-old neighbor and will go on more walks with my single neighbor.  Living in community is a blessing.  I can't wait to share my experience with my family and friends and catch up with all the details of their lives.  While being in my little house is comfortable and I feel the same God that I did in Austria here, I am now more ready than ever to follow God's leading, wherever that may be.  In the meantime, I think that I'll enjoy every day sleeping in my own bed and getting into a routine where I can spend more time with God to hear his voice.  Funny, while I am home, I don't feel the same.  I am ready to start the next adventure.