She's HOME!!!!

Amazingly, her plane landed right on time. There were a gazillion of us there to meet her. A couple of folks from church had traveled down a week ago to spend the last week with her and help her get her stuff ready to come back, so there were three people to greet.

After we left the airport, we all went over to the Jensens' to par-TAY and welcome her back. We hung around and yakked and got reacquainted and stuff, and there were tons of people there too. Very relaxing and fun.

SoulFire is back out at the youth camp tonight. Westchester Evangelical Free church has a great group of high schoolers; very active and "alive". The only thing I dislike is that the room we're playing in isn't much bigger than a bedroom, but we're fitting fifty-plus people and a band into it. It's rather claustrophobic! The music has gone fine, but it's waaaaaaaay too close-quarters, and as soon as we've gotten done playing each set, I've had to get OUT of there because it's like I can't breathe. Not a panic attack or anything that major, just the feeling that I want OUT. Other than the room size, though, it's been a great gig.

And I'm feeling better about missing tomorrow morning. For one thing, I got to see a lot of my friends today, so I don't feel quite so disconnected. For another thing, I'll confess that I've enjoyed the rest. I pretty much unplugged myself from everything this week, partially due to Erica's illness and partially just because that's how things worked out, and I've been able to just be quiet.

I like quiet sometimes.

It's in the quiet times that I can recollect my scattered self and begin to sort out everything that's happened since the last time I was quiet.

Every personality inventory I've ever taken classifies me as an "introvert," and it's true. I can put on the social fun-and-games thing and even enjoy it very much, but to recharge, I simply must be alone.



Alone isn't so bad.