my life post-india.

Well, I've been home from India for approximately two weeks now, and the transition back to life in America has not been an easy one. For many reasons. . .

1. Missing Rising Star Outreach (the children, the patients, other volunteers, coordinators, etc.) everyday.
2. Having a nasty case of traveler's sickness. Yep, that's present tense.
3. Surprisingly. . . I've been craving Indian food most the time.
4. JET LAG (India is about eleven and a half hours different than Wisconsin).
5. Missing my family that lives in India.


And that's just a few.

Not a day has gone by since I've been home that I haven't thought about my time in India, especially at Rising Star Outreach.

It was so incredibly hard to leave all that love and all those beautiful children. SO HARD. I don't even know how else to describe my feelings on that matter. . . . especially without starting the water works.
Every day I find myself looking at pictures from Rising Star.
Nostalgia has been wreaking havoc on my emotions. I'm torturing myself, really. And I know it. But I just can't stop.

I never want to forget the way I felt in India. I never want to forget the children. I never want to forget the leprosy patients. I never want to forget the love. I never want to forget my family in India. So I rationalize preserving the memories in my mind by all too frequently looking at pictures.
And then I find myself looking at flights to go back next summer. Oops. #sorrynotsorry

So now you all get to take part in my nostalgic habits tonight. You lucky ducks.

Seriously. Going to India is honestly one of the best things I have ever done in my entire life (so far). 

If richness was measured in terms of how much love you receive, I think I would be the richest person in the entire world. 

A friend of mine posted this quote on Facebook the other day and I think it is so incredibly perfect for how I feel. 

"You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place." 

- Miriam Adeney

I've said this a million times, but that's because it's true. . . . 

India will always have a part of my heart. A big part. And I'm perfectly fine with that. 

You keep my heart, India. Keep it forever. You are my second home. 

I feel SOOOO blessed to have had the opportunity to go to India; to meet my family, to work with Rising Star Outreach, and to meet so many amazing people. SO BLESSED. Can't even describe how grateful I am. 

And in case you want some more bedtime reading, I wrote a post for Rising Star's blog which you can read by clicking right here. 

And now I must stop reminiscing and start packing. 

I'm leaving the land of cheese and moving to Utah next Saturday. Yay. And in case you need a reminder of my work/school/life plans once I'm in Utah you can click right here. 

The end.

Love, Kir

P.S. Stay tuned for a post about the many (recent) reminders I've had of how mindful Heavenly Father is of each and every one of us. He has a plan for each of us. Get ready for it.