Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Happy Thanksgiving!

Last night I was following my little new tradition of buying a new Christmas album every year and downloaded the new NOW Christmas album. It's all Christmas songs sung by 'today's artists.' Some of the songs are the good old classics while some are new and are more like pop songs with a Christmas theme. Well one of those 'pop' songs, Christmas Without You by One Republic, came on my shuffle after school. It's a song about how much they have missed, but they would die before missing Christmas with you. Yepp, almost made me start bawling in my classroom. I have been feeling quite bummed lately thinking about how I'll be missing Christmas with my family this year and will have no snow or cold weather (which I hate when I am home, but seem to miss it now. Haha, how ironic). I am excited to go back to New Zealand and more than grateful that I even have the opportunity to do so, but I really wish I was going to be back in Iowa.When I got home from school I was standing out on my balcony, still listening to Christmas music, when I saw the most gorgeous rainbow.

So here's the back story on rainbows. About a year and a half ago a family friend passed away and shortly after a lot of people close to her started seeing rainbows all the time. Not knowing this, a few months later I was talking to my mom and told I had seen like four rainbows the week before and wasn't that so crazy? She then told me about how Jackie's family members had been seeing a ton of rainbows. It gave me chills. I used to never see rainbows. Ever. I think I'd seen maybe three in my life. All of a sudden I saw them all the time. I saw them while driving, I saw one while sitting on an airplane on my way to Texas and I saw them constantly in New Zealand. Then I stopped seeing them. I think the last time I saw one must have been spring. Until today. How weird that I see one the day I am sad and missing my friends and family and just being at home in general. It was a comforting and sad feeling all at the same time, but it really made me think. Yes, I miss my family and am extremely sad I won't be with them for the holidays, but I am also extremely blessed to be on this adventure. And while I won't be able to see them in person I have Skype and the phone and they are still there.

Tonight I am celebrating Thanksgiving at a buffet at a nearby hotel. They will have turkey and pumpkin pie and so many of the good friends I have made will be there as well. I am so excited to eat some food that reminds me of home! (Even though there is no way that turkey will even come close to my dad's turkey, because his is the best!) I am also excited to wake up early and Skype my family and see everyone all together and be jealous of their yummy foods! Thanksgiving is a little easier to miss since I wasn't there last year. I am mostly excited to see them all at the same time!

So with that, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for all the amazing people in my life and to be here in Vietnam because even when it is hard, I know I am so lucky to be doing this and getting to see the world!

As always,

Michelle