Coming Home

Being back in the States has been wonderful, yet weird in unexpected ways.

First, the wonderful: Three beautiful children leaping into my arms at the airport. For the next several hours they kept looking at me with a "is this real" look in their eyes.

Freedom to just go for a walk any time you want is often overlooked as something highly awesome. We started out in Boston, hit the Swan Boats and "Make Way for the Ducklings." Then we went to Rye, New Hampshire to enjoy a tropical storm billed as a hurricane. Now we're back in DC and it almost feels normal again.

Then, the strange: I can't get used to using tap water to brush my teeth and it keeps freaking me out to see people driving on the wrong (right) side of the road. After I had been home for about 30 minutes, I was playing with the kids and Caleb stopped, looked at me for a long time and said, "I forgot what it is like to have a Dad."

It is at times a little overwhelming. I had to explain to them on night one that I have three kids but only two sides so someone won't be able to sleep next to me. They are competing so hard for my constant attention that they are about to kill each other, and me, in the process.

Overall, I must give credit to Katie. They are great kids, and better since I left. Good job, Mom.