4 states. 4 hours. GO!

I am leaving New Orleans this morning after almost no sleep. Luckily, it is only about a 4hr drive to my next destination. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida will be what I conquer today! Here I come FLORIDA!

(I can't believe I will be home in 18 days!)

I decided to take the scenic route today since I knew Christiana didn't get off work until 4pm. Luke was home with the boys and waiting for me but I really didn't want to burden him by being around all day since I really only met him at their wedding almost 4yrs ago!

Cindy called it "smelling the roses" when she was with me and that is when you take all the little side trips. I stopped at every welcome center to get my state pictures and to walk around. I even went way off my course to track down a Christmas shop in Alabama. I find those stores so overwhelming but in the best way possible. I spent way too much time in there but I finished my sister's gift and got some chocolate so it was a great success for me :)

The drive was only 4hrs but with my "smelling the roses" it took me just over 6hrs. I got to Hurlburt Field Air Force base at 2pm and Luke met me to get me clearance. I have never been to a military base let alone stayed on one and it looked like I was stepping in to an episode of Army Wives.

I caught up with Luke and met the boys; Allan, age 3 and Joshua, age 1.5. I played outside with them and tried to find a good comfort zone. This life is so different from my own. Christiana went to college with me and we were both in the Marine Science program but she left our sophomore year to join the Air Force. I will never forget her telling me that she was leaving and how much it affected me. I was happy she was going to do what she wanted but I also felt abandoned.

She came back for my birthday that year to surprise me and I was in her wedding in December 2007 but I haven't seen her since! And boy have our lives gone in opposite directions. She is settled with an "adult" life and I have embraced my "inner child" and given up all my adult surroundings. It really makes you sit back and think about your choices and how you ended up where you are. I don't think I would have done anything differently but it makes me wonder..."what if?!"

Christiana got home and we caught up. At first I was at a lack of conversation. I didn't know where to start. Here is one of you best friends that you haven't seen in ages and I am at a lack for words. Well, that didn't last long and the five of us headed off to dinner. We joked about college life while Luke watched us (we filled him in too), talked about TV shows, and then it finally felt like I got the gift of conversation back.

I can't believe it's been 4yrs! I wish I had more time to just catch up. I miss our cookie dough/Grey's Anatomy days from back in college. There needs to be a way for us to get them back because my few hours with Christiana just weren't enough!