Grace.

"Welcome home"

That always put a smile on my face when customs does that.
Like America truly missed me.

Even though it was 1am by the time I got home, I threw my entire bag in the laundry, took the longest shower ever and had a beer with my dad. I slept like a rock in a bed with clean sheets, but woke up a bit early being on Mexico time. After a large cup of coffee, I decided a run on the beach was in order. Even though it was Thanksgiving Day, there were plenty of Californians, well being Californian. Surfing, BBQing and family rollerblading. Running on the beach is something I have always loved to do, but this run was particularly pleasent. I felt like I had a new sense of appreciation for my home, Orange County. The amount of comfort that the beach gave me was more than usual and the sense of belonging my extremely surprising. I went with this odd combination and ran as long as my out of shape legs could go. During this run, I had a sort of revelation. I am currently in a place in my life where I can literally do whatever I wanted. I could go to New Zealand for the next three months, 6 months, even a year.

OR

I could stay in Portland, get a job, work more, travel in a few months? Go to Europe? Snowboard Whistler for the season? Work part time and train for that marathon I've always wanted to run? Take the GRE and apply to nursing school? Take Spanish classes, like really learn it? There's so many things on my bucket list that I now have the time to complete now that I'm not in school.
So right now, two weeks from now, I could be in New Zealand or in Portland or maybe even in Canada. I'm thriving in this newly realized place in my life and I'm gonna go with it. I'm 24, healthy, young, free, living for me and never ignoring the grace that I'm finding. Remember that book that I found in Nicaragua? I'm realizing it found me.