Merry Christmas

I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas this year and is able to spend the holiday season surrounded by people they love.  I feel extremely lucky to have my family by my side even though I'm halfway around the world.  We spent the morning cooking breakfast and lounging around before swapping a few gifts.  Kenny got UGG slippers and some Under Armour gear, Dad came away with some new movies (Rango and Up!), Mom got some PJs, and I received a MasterChef cookbook (so cool!) and UGG earmuffs for Europe.  It was a wonderful morning and I was stuffed to the gills after uncontrollably eating my way through the monkey-bread we had prepared.

After I digested a little bit Kenny and I went downstairs and around town to all of the souvenir shops we had seen.  We both had some leftover cash to spend and wanted to see what we could find.  I was surprised at the number of people out and the large amount of shops that were open.  It didn't really feel like Christmas and I saw people heading out to the beach and eating at cafés like any normal day.  It was really nice outside which didn't go along with the "White Christmas" thing I like to picture in my head.

In addition to breakfast, my mom prepared a lasagna, salad, and her famous "nibbles" for dinner.  I can honestly say that eating that made my day and I have been waiting all year to have her food tickle my tastebuds.  Dinner filled us all up and it took some time for our stomachs to settle.  After some time, Kenny and I took advantage of the nice weather and went out to walk the Harbour Bridge.  I knew it was big from glancing over at it from afar but being on it made me realize that it is absolutely ginormous!!  I wasn't completely comfortable walking along but I made it all the way down and back, taking beautiful pictures of the Opera House along the way.  That view is definitely something I'm going to miss.

It is getting really late and we all have flights to catch tomorrow afternoon.  We are mostly packed and I think the plan is to just get up and get everything organized before leaving for the airport.  I am definitely going to enjoy one more serving of lasagna before we have to get rid of the leftovers.  I can't believe the time is finally here; I am leaving Australia, Kenny and I are off to Europe, and I will be home before I know it.  It has been a year full of lessons learned and I know I'm a better person for having gone through this experience.  It had its high points and low points, but overall I am very satisfied and am thankful for the opportunity I was given.  It will be hard to say goodbye to a city I have grown to love and to my parents for another short while.  I'll be anxiously looking forward to being reunited once again because these past two weeks have been nothing but amazing.  I love my family and friends so much and can't thank you all enough for the support you have given me.

I plan on writing one more installment at the airport tomorrow if I can get internet and then after that I will do the best I can throughout Europe.  I don't know what our internet situation will be from day to day, but I will take advantage of it when I get the chance.  After tomorrow the layout and background of the blog will be different but I will continue to share my experiences as I travel the world and get acclimated to my new life back in California.

Happy ChristmaHanuKwanzika!! :)