Surprise, I'm Home!

I am so super behind on my posts.  My apologies.

Following my depressing post about missing home, I tried to change my flight to a bit earlier in December so that I could spend more time with my family and friends around Christmas.  It was wayyy too expensive, so on Sunday night (Nov 3), D booked a flight for me to leave Tuesday morning - arriving into JFK in the early afternoon.

The November vs December trip home made more sense:
1. Was cheaper.  2. I had been missing friends and family.  3. My sister's kids were off from school (more QT).
4. One of my closest friends who also recently moved (to Florida) would be in New York City all week visiting her friends.  5. Get to spend a couple days in NYC & see friends.

This trip was going to be a surprise (for most) and I was jumping out of my skin with excitement!!!
I fished around to find out where in New York City SBC would be once I landed, and I made sure to text my family with pictures from "London" at the appropriate UK time. (I needed to throw them off - I couldn't risk them figuring me out.)

I landed in New York with a face that hurt from smiling so hard, I cried in the cab as we passed Central Park (miss this place), and shook with excitement as I knocked carefully on the door to surprise SBC (& MMC)! Yay!
The rest of the night I was with my favorite people, in my favorite place, and on Cloud. Freaking. 9.

The next day I walked around my old neighborhood with friends and visited my work...then I was on my way to New Jersey to surprise my sister and my dad.

My first transcontinental surprise went off without a hitch!!!  I'm pretty sure I blew everyones mind as I showed up at their door or came creeping out of the living room.  Surprises are my ABSOLUTE. FAVORITE.
[Watch below for some pretty great reactions ... not on smartphones]

Despite the nasty stomach bug that decided to infect most of my family on day 5, my time at home was unbelievable.  Filled with such joy and excitement. 

I tried my best to see as many of my friends and family as possible and I think I succeeded ... only missed just a couple of my favorites (sorry guys). 

xx