"We’re so busy watching out for what’s just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are."

After what seemed like an eternity, it's happening. In 10 days I will leave the continent I have called home my entire life. That's right, I am gone. While I am very excited for this new adventure, and excited to see my darling Australian, today I am sad.
My brother was in for Thanksgiving this week. Not just my brother but my niece, my sister-in-law and her brother and sister. We had a lot of fun, laughed, hung out.
Last night my brother and I went out for coffee, there is a local coffee shop in town here, but it was after 8 and although they closed at 9, the guy was already mopping the floors, so we decided to just walk and talk around the streets of this small town. About an hour and a half later we headed to Sheetz where I introduced my brother to steamers. When we pulled back in the drive way, he took my hand and prayed with me and told me he loved me. This is what big brothers are supposed to do.
I remember when he first finished college I had just started and coming home for the summer meant visiting him a lot. I remember staying up all hours at his house eating cookie dough and drinking ginger ale. Sometimes we would have a socked feet rubber band war. I remember sitting on the couch quoting lines from calvin and hobbes and we both had read the books so much we merely referenced the page number and we both would laugh all over again.
I remember sitting in the next room while he dialed a girls phone number 20 times, hanging up before it started ringing because he didn't know what to say.
I remember when he was engaged to his wife and we took the craziest road trip ever to surprise my grandpa for Christmas. We drove 13 hours, had dinner and breakfast with grandpa and then drove back, forgoing the steak and shake milkshake in indiana, and then craving one the entire day until we were 30 mins from home and found another steak and shake. We are crazy folk.
Somehow in my whole life, I have always felt the odd one of the bunch, at work, at school and sometimes at home. My brother makes me feel like it's ok to be odd, and being odd is beautiful.
So today we said goodbye, not knowing when we would see each other next. He gave me a hug and started to cry, and I did too. I bequeathed my complete calvin and hobbes collection to his watch care. He will have to call me up and tell me about the joke on page 156...

Emma

Emma is my future sister in law. Shes one of the coolest chicks I know. Right now she's somewhere in Africa--and I am somewhere in Jealousy. She left home the end of July this year and is traveling until she's done. This has always been my dream. She is so brave and I am so proud to become her sister. She started touring some around Europe spending some time in Hostels, and couch surfing, visiting old friends. She got connected with an organization called HelpX. It's pretty similar to things like WWOOFERS (willing workers on organic farms) Providing room and board in exchange for various different jobs and work activities. A really cool way to see the world. This is of course after she finished el Camino de Santiago (the way of St. James) Its like an 800 km pilgrimage across Spain, I think that is flipping awesome.
Last week she sent me a post card of a giant spider sculpture from the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, y'all know how I love bugs.
Anyhow, I thought a lot about her brave journey, and for her, this is a great time of discovery and personal reflection, A pilgrimage both literally and figuratively. I envy her travels but I do not envy her alone-ness, I respect that she can do but realize I will never be her, and I am me and I prefer cooking dinner with my fiance and reading a good book with him and adventure to me is something that should be shared. I am glad Emma is sharing her adventure with me-- through postcards and photos, it makes me feel like I am there with her, and I am in my thoughts and prayers.