The day after I landed in STL Douglas and I drove to Colorado Springs. (This was kind of a last minute trip idea!) Our first day there we went to Garden of the Gods. It was absolutely beautiful and it was slightly warmer than we expected! (We dressed in sooo many layers) After walking around the park all morning we went to a cute little Chinese place for lunch. We were the only people there and it was very good! Then we went back to the hotel to get ready for a concert!! We saw Screaming Females, Touche Amore, and the Menzingers! It was a great show and we even got matching shirts from the Merch table! 
On Top of Pike's Peak!
The next morning we had tickets to go up Pikes Peak! The train ride was SO beautiful but once we got all the way to the top it was so foggy you couldn’t see anything… hardly even your hand in front of your face. Everything looked white. Luckily, there was a freshly renovated building at the top with a cafe and a gift shop that we spent the bulk of our allotted hour in because it was also well below zero! We tried the world famous donuts and bought some souvenirs and it was back down we went. When we got back to the bottom it was time to hit the road again and head back east. That night we made it about half way and stayed in Salina, KS. The next day was a Sunday and we only had half the trip to go. Doug had to work on Monday so we were trying to get back to the Lou at a decent time.
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| Shell and I at the Mall |
Michelle worked Thursday but as she is getting married in the fall and I am the maid of honor, I had some work to do while she was away (mostly look at packets and pamphlets of vendors and see if there was any glaring red flags… there wasn’t). They also just got two new kittens so they also kept me entertained while she was at work. After she came home we went to the grocery store and got stuff to make taco salad! Eating was a big part of my visit back as there are so many foods you can’t get here in TZ!
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| Trying on Bridesmaid Dresses |
Friday Michelle was off work so we had the whole day to hang out! We went to the mall and target and did all the super basic things in the states. It was so much fun! Saturday all the bridesmaids came into town (except her cousins) and we went to Davids Bridal to pick out our bridesmaids dresses! Then, since we were all in town we had a low-key bachelorette party for her. We went out to Mexican and her parents rented 3 rooms for us (there was going to be 6 of us) at a local hotel. We played card games and had some drinks and called it good enough.
The next morning Doug came and picked me up. We had breakfast at a local diner and made our way back down to the Lou as I had to pack for Alabama. I left bright and early the next morning and made it to Montgomery by the early afternoon. When my mom picked me up from the airport we had a bit of a girls day before going back to her house for dinner. The next day, Tuesday, mom went to work and I stayed at the house and caught up on trashy tv and microwave food. Wednesday, I went to work with mom as I had some appointments and was going to need to take the car in the afternoon. Thursday was another stay at home day for me and we had our Christmas celebration that evening. I gave my mom some gifts from Africa and she gave me some small things that wouldn’t be too hard to bring back with me. Keith (moms boyfriend) said there was a surprise road trip too- he took me to a shoe store outside of town and said I could get one pair of anything I wanted! I got some good boots. Friday it was back to work with mom because it was snack day at the office and lots of people bring their family on that day and I had some more appointments in the afternoon. It was really fun and there was SO much good food, but mostly sweets! Saturday mom hosted a Christmas party with her friends and it was really pretty fun! We played the game with the plastic wrap ball (iykyk) and had a potluck style dinner. Sunday mom and I went to church then IHOP for breakfast!!! Monday mom went back to work and I helped Keith with the mustang and we did a little night fishing. I don’t actually remember what happened Tuesday but Wednesday was my flight back to STL but it wasn’t until the afternoon so mom took that day off work and we had a chill morning at the house and then went to McAlester's for lunch before she dropped me off at the airport. The flights were pretty smooth and and I got back to Doug around 10pm. 
Mom and I getting Pedi's 
Christmas with Mom and Keith.
The next day was the 22ed and both of Dougs parents had it off but he didn’t so I went with them to do some last minute shopping around town. It was a lot of fun and good to keep busy while Doug is working. The next day was Friday, and it was the last day the Christkindl Market was open in Chicago and Doug and I had planned to do a day trip up there on the train. However, it was also the day where the wind chills were in the negative twenties and thirties! We made the very rough decision to not attempt the trip and later found out that they canceled the market anyway! But- we made the most of our free day and went shopping around town and went to the movies! We saw the new avatar and played in the arcade. It was a great day, despite the change in plans.
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| Christmas Eve |
The next day was Christmas Eve! Doug and I spent the morning in the kitchen, making biscuits and gravy and baking cookies, and then went with his family to mass around four. After mass, its their family tradition to go out to a Chinese buffet! It was delicious! The next day it was Christmas! Doug, his parents, and I opened gifts and watched the dogs tare into their presents as well. His sister and her husband usually come over as well, but they were sick so we face-timed them in to watch. Then Doug and I went into town to run some errands as his parents were leaving bright and early the next day and we would be on dog sitting duty for the next week. They were headed up to Michigan to visit Dougs grandpa and other family. 
LETS GO BLUES!
The 26th we had a chill day around the house getting used to taking care of the dogs (when to take them out, how to feed them- they are pretty picky sometimes, etc). The 27th was pretty similar except in the evening we went to a Blues Game!! So his sister came over to look after the dogs in the evening. The blues played the maple leafs but lost in OT 4-5. It was a great game, even though we lost. The next day I met up with one of my housemates from KY and we went to the new aquarium in STL! It was so nice to see her but the aquarium was a slight disappointment- would be good if you had little ones though! After the aquarium we went out to lunch and then caravanned her back to the house to check on the dogs and hang out some more. The next day, the 29th, we caught up with some college friends at IHOP and then went out bowling with them! I definitely broke quite a few nails, but I also won. After that we went out for ice cream and called it a day so we could get back to the dogs. 
Aquarium with Rachel
Throughout the week I had been working on a packers quilt for Doug, as we had tickets to the game at Lambeau on New Years Day. I finished it that night and it turned out alright for my first quilt in quite a few years! Doug loved it and that’s really all that matters. New years eve we drove up to Chicago and had tickets to a party at a bar in wrigglyville, but ended up ordering Chinese takeout and asleep by 9pm! Ha! The next morning we hit the road to Green Bay and made it to the stadium right on time! It was a very good game and the packers smashed the vikings 41-17.
Since we were already that far north and Dougs family lives in the UP, the next day we kept driving up and stayed in Marquette. The plan was to visit his family but I had been sick for quite a few days at that point with a terrible cold and Doug was starting to get it, so we decided it would be best if he just showed me around and we not get anyone sick. It was a real bummer but for sure the responsible thing to do and despite the change of plans it was still a lovely time and the UP was just beautiful! Even in the dead of winter! 
Doug's New Blanket
So after Doug showed me all the spots he loved as a kid when they would come up to visit, we headed back south and stayed in Milwaukee for the half way point. We found a really good dive bar for dinner and made the most of being in a new city. The next day we made the short drive down to Chi Town and did all the touristy things on Michigan ave- we went to the mall, went to the biggest starbucks, and had lunch at the cheesecake factory. We stayed in Chicago that night and the next morning we got Stans donuts for breakfast before leaving the city and drove south towards Terre Haute to visit with my grandpa! 
Go Pack Go!
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| Doug snapping pics in the UP |
When we woke up back in STL it was Saturday, my flight back to TZ was Monday. Suddenly it hit us that our time together was almost over and we’d soon be back to counting down the days and again being 8,000 miles apart. We tried to make the most of our last weekend together and had a day in the city- we went to IKEA to goof off and look around and to the art museum. Later that day we went to target and a late night trip to Freddie’s for some ice cream.
Before we knew it it was Monday. My flight didn’t leave until 5:45 in the evening so I put off packing until that morning and Doug took the day off so he watched tv as I put things back into my suitcase. We went out to lunch and went to our favorite spot in the park one last time. The weather was really nice that day so we were able to stay there a while, but then it was time to go to the airport. He helped me carry in my bags and get checked in, and we were so early we had plenty of time to go to the Starbucks right before security and prolong the inevitable- saying goodbye. 
Visiting with my Grandpa
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| one last trip to SLAM |
Even though those are some of the hardest moments of my life, I know this is where I am supposed to be right now and I know there is a light at the end of this long distance tunnel. I am so thankful for the means to be able to go home on a visit and for everyones generosity while I am back in the states. I hope you enjoyed the recap of my Christmas visit and now its back to work! Some exciting things are just starting to develop here and I can’t wait to watch my second year of ministry blossom and tell you all about it!
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