Goodbyes and Good Friends

Yesterday I dropped my family off at the airport. They left for Budapest for the semester, my dad is again teaching the semester program for Calvin. This time though, I'm staying here, in Grand Rapids. It was strange, dropping them off, it didn't feel real for a long time, it still kind of doesn't. We sat there in the airport lobby after dropping off the luggage and talked and joked. When it was time to go we stood and said what we could of the blessing from the book of common prayer. 

"May the peace of the lord Christ go with you: where ever he may send you; may he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm; may he bring you home rejoicing: at the wonders he has shown you; may he bring you home rejoicing: once again into our doors."  

I say "what we could" because there was a sudden glimpse of reality, of finality, in that blessing, a preview of the five months we are about to spend apart from each other. Then there were hugs, and goodbyes, and tears (mostly mine and my moms) and then they headed off to the security checkpoint and I followed my grandpa out of the airport. When he dropped me off at home, I was greeted by my old friends and new housemates, Taylor-Mary and Jen and our friend Sarah, and we sat and talked and eventually people trickled in, the third housemate, Amelia, another Hungary student and friend, Chelsea, and Taylor-Mary's boyfriend, Seth. We had pizza and laughter. I snapchatted my sister, waiting in the airport, and sent a picture of dinner to my dad. Now, the next morning, I'm sitting in the kitchen waiting for my first skype call from a family newly removed.