Because today, as joyous and wonderful and unbelievable as it has been, is not the end of our journey - it is only the beginning.
Here's to our President-Elect Barack Obama and to all of you who made it happen. Our time for change has come at last!
So I am finally home...home being a relative term.
When I am in Indiana, I am home.
When I am with my family, I am home.
When I am in Los Angeles (or Pasadena), I am home.
You know the drill - it's where the heart is and all that jazz.
At any rate, here I am, back in my California home. Literally at home today as well, since I am working at my kitchen table once again. I was hoping to be in my office today after a long absence, but the Enterprise rental car branch I am using SUCKS BALLS and I wasn't able to rent something this morning. I'm working with my usual branch now and should be able to get into a car by this afternoon.
I am so tired - I could sleep for days, I think - but I had the best time. I'll write more about it later, but as a quick summary: I drove over 1,000 miles while I was there, shuttling back and forth between the homes of my siblings and my parents. I saw a Cubs game and my nephew's senior drama, stayed up late gossiping and giggling with my sisters, took care of my brother after he had outpatient surgery, and took about a billion pictures. My arm throbbed every single night (I couldn't take my meds during the day because I had to drive) but it was totally, absolutely, 100% worth it.
I miss them all like mad already.
I visited my new physical therapist today, a lovely woman named Sally who evaluated my back and shoulder pain resulting from my recent accident and concluded that indeed, I am fucked up (medical term).
She is putting in the paperwork for approval from worker's comp and hopefully by the time I come back from vacation, I'll be able to have regularly scheduled sessions that will make my half-dead and very sad arm work right again.
Speaking of vacation, Michael and Corazon joined me for dinner at home last night so as to bask in my glory before I am gone for nine long days. We had Tarantino's pizza (of course) and a bottle of 2005 Blackstone Merlot, which was quite decent. I do love a wine that compliments a pizza nicely. At any rate, we had a discussion as to whether a visit to family constitutes an actual vacation.
Michael came down firmly in the no camp, though admitting he isn't that close to his family. Corazon feels that neither visiting family nor attending a wedding can be classified as taking a vacation. I really think it depends on how much you like your family. I, for one, am kind of madly in love with mine, despite the fact they often drive me insane. (Can anyone drive you more crazy than someone related to you by blood?) I mean, come on, the ringtone for my sister Diana is How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) by James Taylor and Sandy's is Superwoman by Alicia Keys. I'm obviously head over heels for these people.
Plus, I can't wait to surprise my mom and dad by arriving in time for Mother's Day - a secret all three of my siblings who live in Indiana are in on and have helped coordinate.
In addition, having a plethora of nieces and nephews makes my visits extra fun. What's more loveable than children who adore you, except for children who adore you and for whom you have no long-term financial responsibility? In fact, I've been thinking our family could use another baby, seeing as how our current "babies" are already over three years old. I'm ready for someone small and soft and new and helpless that smells like powder and lotion and sweetness. (Especially if I don't have to stay up with that someone while s/he cries all night.)
At any rate, for me, visiting family is a vacation. I miss them terribly all year, and it's the hardest thing in the world to leave them to come back home to real life. I can honestly say I've had days when I thank God for the blessing of my siblings, who have given me so much - they taught me to read, they gave me a sense of humor, they cheer me during my successes, and support me through my struggles.
We are completely different people and yet we all started off as little seahorses floating around in my mother's belly. It's odd to realize that no one else will ever get me the way they do; no one else will ever have that unbreakable connection to me. I can't imagine a life without them.
I'm definitely anxious to get back to California to start on the road to recovery with physical therapy, but I think my vacation with them will do more to heal my frazzled soul and frayed nerves than anything I could do here at home. I can't wait to see them.
First, the very excellent news: Bumpy isn't totaled!!! Woohoo! She is in the shop right now for an estimate and repairs should begin by the middle of next week. I am so happy.
Now, the not-so-good news: The motorcyclist who hit me was driving on a suspended license and cancelled insurance. This means I am on the hook for my deductible ($1000!) - which kinda sucks. However, there is a possibility I may be able to reclaim this through my traveler's accident insurance through work. If not, paying the deductible is an aggravation, but not a terrible hardship.
While it is frustrating that the person who hit me was behaving irresponsibly and caused problems for several other people, I can't help but feel for him. He is in the hospital right now, no doubt in a lot of pain, and he will have major issues to face once he has healed - including charges for driving on a suspended license and without insurance. My insurance company - and I am sure the insurance company of the first driver he hit - will go after him to recoup the cost of the claims resulting from the accident. I can't help wondering if he even has health insurance.
As for me, I have health insurance and car insurance. (And I just added Uninsured Deductible Waiver to my AAA policy, which means the next time someone hits me and doesn't have insurance, I won't have to pay a deductible!) I have a great job, which is covering me through worker's comp for all my medical expenses, and my employer's traveler's insurance should hopefully cover the other additional expenses. I am not only well-prepared, but also lucky - and very grateful. As for the motorcyclist, I am hoping he comes through okay and learns a lesson from his actions.
