I got back from my trip Monday night, but it has taken me a while to have a chance to get on here. I wanted to post some pics from my visit, although I will warn that I forgot my camera (typical of me), so most of them are from my phone therefore, not the best quality. Some of them were shared from friends' cameras so those will be better.
I got in around 9:00 and waited just a little bit for Lindsay since my arrival coincided with drop-off time for my niece and nephew at school. After she picked me up, we went to Panera (for my St. Louis friends...Bread Co.) and had breakfast.
Lindsay and me at Panera (self portrait)...I'm on the right. :)
Then we went to Concord Mills Mall. This is the mall I frequented the most when I lived in Charlotte, as it was an enormous indoor outlet mall and only 10 minutes from my house. It was kind of weird shopping without at least one or two little people in tow. Whenever I would try anything on, I would think my usual, "Hurry, hurry, hurry," but, then I would remind myself that I didn't need to hurry...no one was fussing at me impatiently or making all too candid comments about my body. After the mall, we ate at a Mexican restaurant right by the mall, called Charanda's. Lindsay had actually never been there before, but Brian and I ate there often. It was YUM! Then we headed to Lindsay's house where I took a tiny little nap before it was time to go get Caleb and Alyssa from school. It was so good to see them. That night we ate a nice dinner together and then after the kids went to bed, Lindsay, Chris, and I watched a movie together. Then I went to bed and slept REALLY good. I even got to sleep until 8:30 the next morning!
On Saturday morning, Chris made pancakes for breakfast. Then Lindsay and I went for a 3 mile walk. The weather was perfect and the company was great. Of course, we talked the whole time so it only seemed like a half-mile walk. Then I played Mouse Trap with Alyssa (she won). Lindsay and I got cleaned up and ready to go to the Southern Christmas Show. It was so cool that this just happened to be going on while I visited. I used to go every year when I lived in Charlotte, although I think I did miss it the last year I was there. We were there from about 1:00 until almost 5:00 and we still didn't see everything.
Lindsay and me at the Christmas show...I'm on the left.
Then we headed to Olive Garden for a Girls' Night. It was so nice to see everyone and catch up. We laughed a LOT.
Lindsay, Mandy, and her son, Dylan
Lindsay, Dylan (what a cheese ball!), Mandy, and Melanie
Amy, Jennifer, and me
Melanie and me
I can't tell you what we were laughing about.
Lindsay and me...I'm on the right.
Amy and me
Mandy, Dylan, and me
(from the left) Amy, Jennifer, me, Lindsay, Dylan, Mandy, and Melanie
When Lindsay and I got home, we stayed up too late talking, but it was worth it.
On Sunday we went to church. It was very surreal being at my old church. A lot has changed: our old Sunday School class has dissolved, the pastor is different, the music minister is different.... It was very nice to see lots of old church friends, and in some ways it seemed like I hadn't even been gone, but the changes were there, and I wasn't at church with Brian and the kids. It was weird being a "visitor" at a church I had attended for over ten years. After church we ate Zaxby's (YUM!) then talked and took a nap. Then I went to choir practice with Lindsay. That proved to be similar to church...eerily the same but different. That night we stayed up late talking again.
Caleb, Alyssa, and me before bedtime
On Monday after we took the kids to school (which was very emotional for me), we went to Starbucks's and met my friend Amy so that she could introduce us to her new adopted baby girl from China, Mia Grace. It was so nice to see her. Lindsay hadn't had a chance to meet her yet either as she had been gone all summer for Basic Training.
Lindsay and Mia Grace
Mia Grace and me
After that, we mailed a box of Christmas presents to St. Louis since they wouldn't fit in my bag. Then we ran some other errands. We ate lunch at Kabuto's which was delicious as always. All too quickly, it was time for me to be at the airport. I was proud of Lindsay and myself for holding it together when we said good-bye.
I had an awesome time, but it was also really good for me to see that, as much as I miss my Charlotte life, I don't "belong" there anymore. I know I will still struggle with "homesickness" from time to time, but now I am even more certain that I am where I am supposed to be. Now if I can just convince Chris and Lindsay to move here....
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