Saying goodbye, and getting ready for new hellos

Kindra here. T-8 days to launch our next phase in world travel adventures, and our gaze is fixed on Ireland with Tina and Mark at An Teach Lapa, our next WWOOFing farm. Before we hit the road, we have been having a blast with and saying goodbye to friends and family. Staying with my dad and his family now... it's hard to even imagine saying goodbye to my amazing siblings, let alone saying goodbye when you don't know the next time you'll be seeing them again. But then such is the nature of goodbyes, really.

We had such an amazing holiday season, it was a perfect last Christmas in the States experience (a highlight being singing Mad Lib Christmas Carols, such as Frosty the Snowman becoming Bartholomew the Sleet Bison.) Seeing movies with friends, gathering last minute items for our travels like quick dry clothes, being introduced to hilarious Cards Against Humanity-users beware, this is a game not recommended for play with parents or boring people- since we returned in time for Thanksgiving it has truly been a whirlwind of people and experiences. The song 'I'll Be Home for Christmas' seems too fitting to pass up, and it's our theme song for the past month.

As amazing as staying with people has been, Austin and I are becoming increasingly ready for our own space to call home, even for just a month at a time. Being a continual/long term guest, no matter how gracious and wonderful the host, is still being a guest, and there is a something indescribably and intangibly 'not home' about it. I've decided it's the experiences like being able to walk around your house naked, eat what you want, do laundry when/how you want, decorate how you like, that quantify the experience of home, even if the reality of home is really just wherever you and your loved ones are together. We are increasingly ready for our experience and reality to converge. (Our mobile home waiting for us, or as the Irish would say, 'caravan', is sounding more appealing by the hour!)

As I suppose was inevitable, this season has brought a sort of challenge to our motivations and seriousness about what we're doing. Interacting with friends who love their steady jobs and can go out to eat frequently, babies popping out everywhere, annual Disneyland memberships, Laker games, church family and weddings we will sadly miss, are all silently asking 'do you really want to travel the world and leave all of this?' As I was getting increasingly emotional about leaving-and I'm sure I will still be a mess when we leave next Tues the 15th- Austin unknowingly helped answer that question definitively for me when he talked about cheese. He had gone to the store to get some Kefir, and came home last night excitedly relating how he had seen labne, a kind of cheese prevalent in the Middle East that we fell in love with while living in Turkey. He was inconsolably gleeful, and went into a joyful monologue about how much he loves Middle Eastern food, different cultures, new people.....and as I sat there listening, my heart knew as strongly as ever-Yes! I DO want to go experience places that eat labne, that believe different things about the world, that are less glamorous, less tamed-even if that means not having a Disneyland pass (which, if you know me, is a big deal.) So here's to the unknown, just around the corner! With T-8 days, we've never been more pumped and excited about our decision to quit our jobs and travel the world! This is our last post before we fly, so next post we'll be on the other side of the Atlantic.....!!!!!!!!!!!

Before we sign out, here is a quick picture version of our last few months =)

We stayed with our dear friends the Daltons in Santa Barbara

We stayed with my wonderful grandparents in Winchester

I got to say goodbye to my amazing friend Katrina, who just moved to Oregon

Reconnected with college roommate Tamara and her sister Erika, in Redlands

Went with my mom and stepdad to Long Beach waterfront to see Christmas lights

Had great times with my 'sister' Amanda in Santa Ana

Loved spending time with my grandma in Garden Grove

Caught up with college roommate Alyssa and her bf in San Diego-we saw The Hobbit!!

We got to babysit Austin's little brother, 2 1/2, while staying in Pasadena

Helped make poinsettia ornaments for the tree in Pasadena

  

A highlight of the season was going to the Rose Parade, where we got prime seats

Austin's brother doing what he loves most-pushing his red plastic car

Delicious cheese fondue for NYE dinner...mmmmm!

Sean himself

Had a blast with Austin's grandparents in Santa Barbara

Celebrated Christmas Eve with my dad and his family

Reconnected with my grandma and some cousins in Calabasas

Austin and his brother Gavin enjoying their Christmas Day loot-marshmallow gun shooters! And scary nylon beanie things

Celebrated Christmas Day with Austin's mom and her family in SLO

We have had a great time playing with my dad's children in Calabasas

Playing Temple Run, real life-I was a monkey in this round

Lounging girls

My dad took us all to the driving range/putting green. I learned I have some work to do before I go pro