America [Disclaimer: Yes, we know we're cheeseballs!]

We're at the 10 days-to-go milestone now. In ten days, we will be touching down on American soil using our one-way tickets with Virgin-Atlantic. It doesn't seem that long ago that we were forlornly thinking about the 300+ days to go. Time has just flown by. This week will be no different. Not only will I be very busy at work, but we have a lot of things to do still. For one, we haven't packed a damn thing yet! That's worse than it sounds because we only have to worry about the stuff we're bringing to Florida in the four suitcases we have. Everything else that we're keeping will be packed by the moving company on Friday.

Last month was very stressful. We didn't realize how much the election was weighing on us until it was over and the huge weight lifted from our shoulders. Now, five days later, we are still stopping to marvel at this historic moment. We have just fallen in love with America again and we are just filled with hope and optimism. So much so that we might not even need Virgin-Atlantic to get back to the US -- we can just float back on our cloud of hope and pride!

I just downloaded Neil Diamond's "America". We listened to it twice this morning. It has taken on new meaning and resonance for us (see the lyrics below).


Far
We've been travelling far
Without a home
But not without a star

Free
Only want to be free
We huddle close
Hang on to a dream

On the boats and on the planes
They're coming to America
Never looking back again
They're coming to America

Home, don't it seem so far away
Oh, we're travelling light today
In the eye of the storm
In the eye of the storm

Home, to a new and a shiny place
Make our bed, and we'll say our grace
Freedom's light burning warm
Freedom's light burning warm

Everywhere around the world
They're coming to America
Every time that flag's unfurled
They're coming to America

Got a dream to take them there
They're coming to America
Got a dream they've come to share
They're coming to America

They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
Today, today, today, today, today

My country 'tis of thee
(Today)
Sweet land of liberty
(today)
Of thee I sing
(today)
Of thee I sing
(today)

(today)

(today)

(today)