I can comment on my own post, right?

Ooooh, if good wishes made a difference… and it turns out they do. I got GREAT advice from friends far and wide on my “Boohoo, I’m homesick” post last week. Amazing folks with great council and some of it very targeted while other recommendations were slightly off-kilter – in other words, perfect for me! Like a blast from the past, an e-mail from late September, 2001 (thanks Eth) that really puts things in perspective. Another one, from Dad, reminded me of a favorite childhood memory – eating peanuts at Busch Stadium during Cardinals’ games and – get this! – throwing the shells on the ground!!! WOOHOO! My Dad loves me. :>

I feel better, in part because I’m rat-wheel busy this week, and in part because I took words like these to heart:

“You can still befriend the barista and stash your fridge with takeout.  It’s allowed, I swear.”

So I don’t have to change who I am or suddenly become some kind of domestic maven? Thank you, Diane!

“It takes a year, more or less, to get used to it. But maybe for you, six months!” 

That cracked me up, Aby – you have more faith in me than I do! Thank you!

Laura sent me another happy memory – of going to see Bajofondo together at the 9:30 Club. Oh, man, yeah! Susan cheered me up with her eternal confidence in my “adventurous spirit!” Cousin Kari reminded me that I will find my niche – because that is what I, we, do. My darling niece promised to send a care package of Smarties (RIGHT on target, girl).

And Jane, ever available emotionally for those weaker moments in life, asked if what she was hearing was the “waaaaaaaaaahmbulance?” Oh, Sweet (?) Jane, leave it to you to make red wine come out of my nose.

Rebecca, who has spent so much of her life in such amazingly challenging places (not like Bogota, trust me), told me it goes like this:

“It is a phase. You’ll make real lasting friends, you’ll get your routine, time will fly, then in about 6 months you’ll be temporarily bored by it all. That too will pass and suddenly 1 1/2 years later you’ll forget what your DC house looks like, and wonder how you could even live there again.”

Niki gave some great advice: go ahead and feel homesick or sad or whatever, and don’t try to fix it or make it go away by saying how dumb it is to be homesick. It was really helpful to just go ahead and feel it, even if it ain’t all sunshine and buttercups. (What the bloody nora is a buttercup anyway? Does it have to do with butter?)

And a special shout-out to a certain Spaniard, who listens to me every night, rain or shine, when he is just waking up on the other side of the world. And who consistently knows the right thing to say to put the sparkle back in my dimples before I go to bed. Love you.

Thanks, everyone. Love you all, in fact. Can’t wait till you come visit!!! Bring Smarties.