Mountaineer, Tamer of the Wild

Back home to Indiana, after 5 days in the Smoky Mountains, I'll say it seems a little flat. My mom and I had a great time - we drove to the highest peak, we hiked to a gorgeous waterfall, we shopped (of course), we even went to a theatre one evening. One day we ate chicken for breakfast and pancakes for lunch, a defiance of routine which my mom believes truly makes it a vacation. I think for both of us it was just a good chance to relax, as we both enjoyed watching movies in the cabin and sleeping in. I had some great morning runs, which gave me some alone time and good opportunities to explore the mountain. My mom and I cooked dinner together every night (she chopped, I cooked, she did the dishes), a perfect arrangement if you ask me. We almost saw a bear, we did see some deer, and we shared our chimney with a family of critters (probably raccoons). An adventure, well yes, measured on an adventure scale adjusted to allow for the mom factor. It is truly amazing the world that God has created for us, and seeing new places just ignites that fire in me to see more! So next stop: Amsterdam (layover in the airport, does that count?), then Ghana here I come. Am I ready? Nope, I packed way too much (I took 34 shirts to Tennessee for 5 days, what's wrong with me?), so my main objective is to fit all of the necessities into my luggage. If I can accomplish this, a true feat for a chronic overpacker, then I'll be able to say that I'm ready. I'm not sure that I'll ever be mentally/emotionally prepared to leave, but I choose to have faith, which calms my anxiety. To my Raleigh friends, I miss you already!!