Fighting the Jet Lag...Tooth and Nail

After a wonderful, relaxing, and too-short month in Texas with my friends and family, I flew into Gatwick Sunday morning at 9:30am. We had a nice tailwind and, as the pilot put it, we "whistled Dixie across the Atlantic". Coincidentally, my friend Aron was on the same flight making his trek back to Oxford. We were in different sections of a pretty full plane, so we didn't get to sit together and chat. As luck would have it, I got one of the newer planes that had individual high-def touch screen TV's on the back of each seat. There were around 300 movies and 150 sitcoms and different programs to choose from, so the flight went very quickly. In the older planes, there are only around 4 movies and 5 sitcoms from which to choose and they just run on a continual basis. You are not able to stop and start them whenever you want. Between the movies, the giant word search book my Aunt Brenda gave me, and a short nap, I was giving Edgar hugs and kisses before I knew it.

I was very sad to not be able to make it down to Houston to visit all my buddies, but it seemed I had something going on everyday or every other day. Sorry to those of you I missed...I was really looking forward to visiting with everyone. March '09 will be here before we know it and we'll all have a grand time at all the welcome home parties.

This was probably the hardest departure I've made in the 12 years since I left home to spread my wings. My dad and I were able to spend quite a bit of time together since he now lives the life of retirement leisure. We took lots of drives through the country, and he was my shopping buddy on many excursions to stock up on all things American. I was able to spend some good time with my 3 year old nephew, Brody, including a trip to Chuck E. Cheese (they've really improved the pizza since my last visit 15 years ago!). Brody and I had several slumber parties where we got to read books with a flashlight and then make shadow animals on the wall. It just melted my heart for him to tell me he was going to miss me on my final day there. It's hard to believe he will probably be reading a little next time I see him. Thank goodness for Skype and webcams. It's a little easier knowing I can actually see him over this next year. My mom and I had a great time cooking and shopping together and it was so nice to just spend time with my sister.

Now I'm back and the jet lag is out in full force. I did the complete wrong thing on Sunday and actually took a nap when I got home. Monday I slept way too late (let's just say my body woke up on Texas time and I'll let you do the math). Charlie planned a tourist day for the two of us today, forcing me to wake up early. Since I didn't go to sleep until around 5:30am this morning, I'm sure to be very tired tonight. I'm hoping to be back to normal by tomorrow night. I don't do well with the one-hour Spring forward/Fall backward thing, so flip-flopping my entire internal clock is a challenge.

Today's tourist day was the British Museum and The First Emperor's Terracotta Army exhibit. In 1972, a farmer unearthed an entire underground afterlife tomb while digging a well. It started with one terracotta head and over 7000 of these life sized terracotta statues have been found along with an elaborate display surrounding the tomb of China's first emperor. I just got started with all the British history...I guess now I'll have to add Chinese history as well.

I hope all of you are off to a great 2008. I am so happy to have been able to see many friends and family this past month. And I'm sorry if I didn't make it to your neck of the woods. Time flies when you're having fun and my month passed too quickly. Please continue to send me your emails and update me with your lives. Have a great week!