grit and glory

Unless someone posts while I am typing this I got first comment - Amazing! :-)

Africa and the United States of America both bear the name ‘home away from home’ for you. That is awesome.

Live it up girl!

~@~

and you hate being first commenter! thanks, gigi!

Glad your heart is taking a deep breath.

Is Angie gigi? :)

yeah… (from the comments on my nickname post!)

(i hear you have a fire-in-your-tulsa-apartment story to share!)

i’m working on it right now :)

welcome home friend. it makes me smile that on a map you’re about an inch away.

::smile::

its ready for ya

Alece:

Do you realize you’re only about a two-hour drive away from me right now? :)

Welcome home to your home away from home! :)

maybe part of that “hug” feeling is because long island is so much closer to my friends and family than africa is…

thanks for the welcome NE!

Very well said…..I felt the same way when we arrived in the US in November! In many ways we get the best of both worlds…..like Angie says, it’s a home away from home. Enjoy it….have a good cup of coffee for me!

thanks, sarah! will do. haven’t made it to a starbucks yet, but when i do—-i’ll be drinking for the both of us!

Somehow I totally understand. Well, on the one hand I suppose anyone can relate who has lived in two (or more) parts of the US for any length of time. Maryland is ‘home’ for me because that’s where I grew up. But Minnesota is ‘home’ for me, because that’s where I’ve lived and loved (and been married in) for the last 7 years. Tulsa has a little piece of home in me, as well as a small plot of land in Texas. And to add to all of these … I spent 5 weeks one summer in the land of Israel. I have to say … it felt like home, although still foreign and unfamiliar. I would go back in a heartbeat. I would live there in a heartbeat. Israel feels like home too. Amazing how ‘home’ (though singular) is a feeling - and one the heart can create many many times. :)

Welcome Home, MG!

shocking!!!! no starbucks.

glad you understand, anneth.

and (hee hee), thanks for the welcome mom!

yeller - i know! what is this world coming to?!?!

I so understand what you are saying!! I have not been in Africa for over 4 years but somehow I still feel it is home. As is Mexico ( I grew up there for 5 years). I would move back in a heartbeat too! Enjoy your time home and the Starbucks! Will you be near Chicago?

At least your dear mother was gracious enough to occupy the dreaded 13th space for me - that is sooooo much worse than the first spot. :-)

Oh yes - and hello everyone - it’s me, your beloved @ngie. My new screen name here on the grit and glory is “Gigi on the g&g”. It’s just way cooler; so I thought I’d keep it.

By the way - this may sound sacreligious - but I waited a few days to have a Starbucks when I was back on furlough last and it really wasn’t that big a deal to me. I was like, “Hm. Coffee… no big whoop.” And when I was in Santiago last year I passed the Starbucks like six times and never even went in. let the stoning begin :-)

~@~

Happy to see you made back to the states safely, and even made it through security. :) Having two homes means you get to experience that welcome feeling twice.

I have done a fair amount of traveling, but have only lived within a 40 mile radius of where I was born. I had two guide post that told me I was almost home. The first was the skyline of Manhattan. The other was a big “Pitney Bowes” sign I could see from the highway. When I saw that sign I knew I was home.

The welcome home hug from your family and friends is one of the best feelings in the world. You get to experience that with both your American and African “families”.

Welcome!

You coffeed up yet?

GG - no stones - Gold Star!

it’s what i do to those who can tear themselves away from Coffee for a single day!

So Proud!

Go for the ‘Star’ Aleeeece…. just don’t follow it with ‘Bucks’ - please? ;-)

<B

so bub, not a coffee guy?

and no… still no starbucks. but here i am, wide awake since 7ish on a saturday morning (stupid jet lag!). i think i see a chai latte in my future.

oh — and faith — the closest i’ll be is detroit i think…

:)

Welcome home! It’s so comforting to know that you are only 1 time zone away!

mmm… i enjoyed my first visit to starbucks today. i so wished i’d had a camera for a “happiness is” picture.

Glad you are Happy ( in yet another way! :-) ) Leesh.

It’s not that i am a NO coffee guy - i have three kinds in my ‘pantry’ (one instant, two plunger) but i partake of them infrequently and through my English heritage am more of a Tea man (and even more of a Cordial man by reason of Aussie weather and sweet tooth :-F )

Where i take ‘issue’ however is in the ‘addiction’ many suffer to not being able to get through a single day without the NEED for one (or twenty!!? 8-| )

So to any like GG who can make it through one day without giving into temptation or dependency i offer Gold Stars - not stones!

You lucked out today! ;-)

I don’t think you are too unhappy about it though - correct? :-) (We all wished you’d had the camera too btw !)

<B

I completely agree - I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Yeah :) I’m so glad you’re home…

and I’m so glad you have two homes…

that speaks volumes!!

I love, love, love you… and was delighted to return from KS today to find your voice on my voicemail :)

you have your camera for hundreds of pictures of feet, but not for your first starbucks? did you like the new cups?

i know, i know!

and yes - i love the new cups with the original pike’s place logo. fun!

Yup yup!!!