Family Trip: Day 1

We logged 5 cities and 342.5 kilometres on day 1. First, getting David to the airport, and then I run around the airport in two terminals to pick up my family. The new train thing is really cool! Instead of staying in Toronto, we came back to Waterloo immediately. All of us were tired. I had only four hours of sleep, and they had very little sleep on the plane. We tried to find a place for mom, and I just hate that. It's just...a big unnecessary burden for me to bear...anyway, looked at the Kitchener place, went to two places near the university but didn't get in... In between, we went to Stratford, and had a long walk. And of all the places that we could have lunch in Stratford, they picked a Chinese Canadian restaurant...sigh...so "uniquely Stratfordian"... Came back home for a short but intense nap, then the dinner at Ben Thanh. All I can say about the dinner is, I absolutely hate how they handled the money issue, so much so that I really don't want to go out for a meal with them again. Anyway, left for a night trip to St. Jacob's afterwards, and it was sort of nice. Came home, found a leaky toilet, and that ends the day.

Random notes: for some reason, I dreamed about Leonard last night...it's very very weird; I was in a foul mood pretty much all day long...not sure if it's because I was tired or I still find my family annoying...the mood was slightly lifted after the nap, but plunged during the dinner; why is the previously delightful town of Stratford all of a sudden felt...dull?; for no reason, my parents gave me an iPod nano...it's just weird; right now, I feel very unsettled...the finding a place for mom thing is just blowing me away...and I feel like the upcoming trip requires more preparation...; my body felt worse, actually; I'm behaving very badly right now, not wanting to say anything or explain anything to my family...; plan for day 2: attend church services, then off to Blue Mountains in Collingwood...I probably won't have access to internet on the road, which may be a good thing.

I'm grateful to God for...

• His protection in all the driving today, especially when I was extremely sleepy;
• the safe arrival of my family here;
• keep reminding me about being thankful in all circumstances, which had been difficult;
• the extent that Aaron is willing to help out in finding a place for mom; and
• the wonderful nap in the afternoon...which was difficult to get out of...