Home For the Fourth

As many of you know, I've been able to travel home twice since I started a little over three months ago.  Once was only a month after I left, for a long weekend over the 4th of July.

The timing ended up being perfect.  It had been a long month of missing Eaic.

As well, one of my friends was here checking out apartments and needed a cheap way to get back to Michigan.  It was last minute, so I rented a car.  Megan and I drove the 13.5 hours it took to cross NJ, PA, OH and MI in order to get back to the city of Grand Rapids that we love so much.  It was good to spend that much time with her, but I would pass on that drive again... always.  I would also not recommend it at night.

At any rate, when we pulled into the city of Grand Rapids on Thursday morning, it was all worth it.  I was able to show up at Eaic's door around 8a and surprise him as he was getting ready to go to the gym.  From there, we spent some time at my parents' house and at the movies.  We went to church on Sunday morning.  We went to all our favorite places, but also spent a good amount of time just being in each others' presence and watching "The Walking Dead."

And... on Monday, we said our good-byes way too early and too quickly... and the long journey back to the island began.
I had set up a meeting with a rideshare on the other side of Michigan, so I stopped there to pick him up so I'd have company and a little gas money.  It's like new-age hitchhiking (shhh... don't tell my mom!)  But again, 13 hours is a looong time to drive alone, so it was good to have company.  All in all, it was a good, short vacation and a fantastic way to spend a long weekend.

And, of course, a couple pictures.

Reunited :)

 Lunch at Olive Garden after church - our favorite :)