November 4

I got up this morning, checked out of the hotel, filled up the rental car with gas, stopped by Dunkin for a coffee (for me) and a strawberry frosted donut (for Abby) and headed over to her dorm. 

It's never fun to say 'see ya later,' but after the week I got to spend with her, I'm even more confident than I was that she's right where she should be. She has amazing, supportive girlfriends who love her (and who she loves in return) and her classes are going well (even if she's still a bit shy when it comes to speaking up). And we'll see her in a few weeks for Thanksgiving, too.

Although my travels that followed weren't perfectly smooth (because it seems that delays are the norm these days), I'm home. And I am thankful for the moments I had with my girl as she turned 18, and I'm also thankful that I'm back home again with my guys.