Normal to Boise and back over break

A Thanksgiving to recover

September 2nd, 2009 I started the longest and most profound journey of my short years. As one might note, that date was a bit shy of Thanksgiving '09. Well, as it played out, I spent two holiday seasons out-of-country and away from family. It was tough, and it was easy: easy because so much was so very different from the norm, that I barely registered the holidays when they came (didn't even realize it was Thanksgiving until Gita told me so in Woleai), and tough because, as time went by, it started to hit home just what I'd given up by undertaking Peace Corps service. Holidays, birthdays, weddings, births, career starts/changes, home buying, moving, graduations, hair-dos, vacations, relationships, years came and went. In many ways, I can see that few fundamentals changed while I was gone, and in that way, I can be doubly sure the right decision was made. All the same, those years spent in Micronesia were years away from so many that I hold dear and wish to have near. Those years contained mundane, momentous, precious Life both for me where I was and for my loved ones where I wasn't. So it was with great joy that I boarded a flight to Boise for a long Thanksgiving break sure to be filled with reconnecting and to help reestablish my presence at home.

Landed in Boise on Thursday the 17th, ready for a week and some change of family, friends, hills, river, dog walks, tasty brews, and making the memories I'd dreamed of for well over a year. Of special note, my old friend Dave's wedding was on the horizon and would mark the first time we'd had our whole group of buddies from high school together in years. Spent the day with my pops and had dinner with the folks. Later that evening I picked up my buddy Nick from the airport, and we went over to the happy soon-to-be-newly-weds' for a couple beers and some conversation. The wedding was a hell of a time full of laughter, beauty, dancing, booze and love. What's especially wonderful is knowing Dave and Jacinda's life together will be only that much better than the day it officially started.

The rest of the week, until Thanksgiving, was given over to just kicking it with family and friends. My brother was home home from Friday night till Monday morning, and we had some solid catch up time. He also snapped some pretty great photos of me being mistreated by our friends Saturday night. We hit the town after the wedding reception broke up, and I ended up falling asleep in a sandwich shop on the 'bars are closed' side of 2 am. Nick and our friend Kate made sure to deliver my just rewards so such a feux pas.

Thanksgiving day saw a goodly potion of the Porter family gathered at my aunt Barb and her husband John's home. My grandparents, aunt Gail and uncle Kelvin, cousin Brett and his wife Mel and lovely daughters Evi and Olivia, cousin Michael, my folks, and myself had a great time shooting the shit, eating tasty food (that Gail so selflessly and humbly prepared), playing cards, and goofing around with the little ones. There's so much BSing at a Porter family get together you have to wear waders, but it's sure worth it. Can't wait for Christmas. Also had our annual Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving morning, and I enjoyed the hell out of getting back into the game. Our team lost but had fun along the way. Next year, my friends, next year.

The trip back to Normal went through Chicago, and I got to spend a day with my good friend Mojgan, whom I lived with in Portland. She and I got to catch up, wander through Chicago a bit, have dinner with her brother and his lady friend, and then she got me to my train in the morning. Since then, I've gotten back into the groove of things, making the last big push to end the semester on schedule. Just a couple weeks and I'm back to Boise. Here's to buckling down!