All in all, my drive home from Colorado was an enjoyable one; if you click on the link for My PhotoSite on the main blog page, you can view a photo album of pics taken during my trip. I left on Monday and arrived hom Tuesday night at 11:30 pm. I got to see the great state of Kansas. Everyone told me that Kansas was REALLY boring and that it was a drive that just never ended. Yah, it was pretty flat, but I didn't mind that so much because it's new scenery to me, and I love nature. So, I can enjoy even Kansas at least once. Thankfully, I only drove through Kansas once. My problem driving through Kansas was that I was not feeling well at all, so sitting in my car was extremely uncomfortable. But the feeling of illness subsided as I headed into Missouri.

I had a great surprise right as I was passing through Kansas City...Faith called me! She and her husband, Jay, are on staff in Cofradia, and she and I have grown rather close over the months. They are on vacation in Washington state, so she called me just to chat for a few minutes. What a joy it was to hear her voice! I have missed talking with her and our regular Alias nights and the iced lattes that she makes, etc. We have a good time, and I'm looking forward to more good times when I return to Mexico!

Monday night I stayed with Becky and Andy again. This time Bec and I really got to chat it up and catch up on life, love, and other mysteries. We looked at pictures and videos from Mexico as well as pictures from their honeymoon, and then we hung out in my room just talking. We didn't get to do much of that on my way west because she had to be at work the next morning. But this time, she had off Tuesday because of the holiday so we could afford to stay up a little later and finally chat it up! Then Tuesday morning we had coffee together before I left. That was very nice!

I had another surprise on Tuesday....the girls from Mexico called me!!!!!!!! I had tried to call them on Monday while driving through Missouri, but there were so many signal problems that we really couldn't hear each other, and then their phone ran out of money and hung up on me. (The phone system in Mexico requires them to pre-pay their phone if they want to be able to use it, and then they are charged when they make calls and when they recieve calls. So, if there's no money on the phone, then they have no phone services.) So, they bought a phone card for the public phone and called me on Tuesday morning. It was quite a surprise to answer my phone, which indicated an unavailable number on the caller ID, and hear my name in Spanish! It took a minute to register, but we had a good, though short, chat, and it was such a joy to hear their voices. We have not talked in three weeks, so it was quite a special thing! I really miss them and just cannot WAIT to get back and see them again!

Most of my drive through Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia was uneventful. It got dark as I was driving through western Virginia, and I was able to see some fireworks going off as I was driving up I-81. That was a treat! I also had a good time listening to Derek Webb's album I See Things Upside Down. I really love his music, and I had some good perspecitve and attitude checks as well as some worship time, believe it or not, just thanking the Lord for all that He did and continues to do for me.

Now, I'm in Fredericksburg hanging out with some friends and catching up on relationships that I have not been able to enjoy yet since arriving home. And on that note, I'm going to go enjoy one particular friendship with the beautiful Suzi McElvy! Scrapbook shopping is on the horizon...woo hoo!!!

Yea for blessings and joys and mercies that are new every morning!