My kids are the greatest furry, purry bundles of love EVER.  I arrived home from Phoenix with a mild case of the blues, a raging case of the sniffles, and a persistant case of holy-cow-that-was-hard-I-don’t-know-if-I-passed-training paranoia.  Enter super kitties.  The second I walked down their Auntie Erica’s basement steps (and thank you Auntie E, for being the best temp kitty mommy in the world), they beamed.  I mean seriously beamed with delight at having their mama back.  That basement bore witness to the blissful reunion of the inter-species Trudell family.  It was poetic, at least until Bax threw up on the ride home.  What can I say, he’s a sensitive traveler.  So, the family’s all together now, back in our little studio.  The kids haven’t left my side all weekend.  I sit down – they sit on either side of me or take turns on my lap.  I sleep — they curl around my legs, warm and unyielding.  I awake — they chirp until I feed them breakfast.  Life doesn’t get much better than being welcomed home by those glad to see you. 

 As for the trip, it went well.  Arizona is gorgeous.  I had a much different idea of Arizona, and the reality was a pleasant surprise.  I’ll miss the friends I made, but hopefully will see some of them in the future.  I’m more and more excited about this career and the possibilities that come with it.  Especially now that I can dig in and put my training to use.

 The Grand Canyon disturbed me.  It is savage in its beauty.  It took my breath away and made me think of death.  Maybe it was because I felt so very fragile looking at this roughhewn void, but I found my thoughts turning morbid and left chilled from more than the cold.  Still, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. 

My life for the past few months has been nothing but one transition after another, and more change is on the way.   I’ve made a few serious decisions about my immediate and not so immediate future.  It’s nice to recognize the benefits of having changed and the rewards of change yet to come.