Trusting My Instincts: A Short Trip Back to the U.S. After 16 Months in Okinawa

The past weeks has been really full. After 16 months I got a chance to visit the US again for a week. I got to spend quality time with my family in Orange County, shared breakfast with a few friends, celebrated a college bestie at her wedding in Monterey, and shopped/ate my way through Portland where my sister lives.

Relationships are really important to me, and while it wasn't possible to meet up with everyone during this short trip, I make effort to maintain those relationships that are important to me, whether through text, phone, email, social media or actual snail mail.

The decision to travel was a difficult one as I'm still providing care to my particular senior dog. I decided to cut the trip shorter and made it work. The vet advised against traveling, yet I went anyway. I knew that I had a trusted dog sitter and while my dog fasted for the first three days of being apart from me, he actually thrived afterwards. So, trust your instincts, dog parents.

Is it easy for you to trust your instincts?

#dogmama #militaryspouse #expat #okinawa #Japan