December 25

**This is from Cairns. Christmas in summer???!!**
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
How strange, celebrating Christmas in the summer!
I had a great night out on Saturday with Lindsay & Monique and a bunch of her friends. It was a great farewell to Lindsay Sunday, the three of us went to the beach and then to the mall what a classic girly day! Lindsay was excited to get a little bit more tan before she had to go home and loose it all :)
Monday morning, we all packed up and headed to Sydney. Mark and Monique dropped Linds & I off at the airport so that I could spend the last hour with Linds before getting on a train to Mark's mum's for Christmas. The two of us checked Lindsay's baggage and wandered around the airport talking about how much fun we've had together and how surreal it was that she's going home. We had Starbucks. mmm.
Her plane took off at about 1pm. Goodbye buddy!! It doesn't feel like I won't be seeing her again until I get home. I called my family and felt a little more homesick. Oh, Christmas, I'm sure all will be back on track once the holidays are over.







*** Lindsay & I on Lindsay's First night in Sydney, back in September. WOW, that seems like a century ago!!!**







At Mark's mum's house, we had a very nice family night on Christmas eve. The Ramsey family has made me feel SO at home. They are incredibly welcoming.
We were up at 5:45am Christmas morning. Wow, early. We opened gifts. Lindsay and I printed a couple of photo's from our trip and framed them. One for Mark & Monique and on for Mark's mum, Deb. I delivered them. I got a few gifts too. Some bath and manicure products & Lindsay left Monique with a card for me with a certificate for a pedicure in it. How sweet is that!!?! She included a card that I couldn't read until I was alone because of my teary-eye issues. Greg & Kristal also sent me a package from my family with pictures of them all with each letter of "MERRY CHRISTMAS". I took one look at the first picture and saved it for later too. I was feeling SO sentimental! It was great to talk to and hear from SO many people on Christmas day. Thank you all for calling or messaging me. It really made the day for me.. realizing that you all really care!!
We had a great day! Breaky was croissants and Mango's and cheese. We played Cranium for most of the day. For dinner, the main dish was prawns. They had all their shells and heads (even eyes) still on. I was having a terrible time de-shelling them, so Mark's grandpa, Pop, peeled SO many for me. He just kept peeling & peeling. I think I ate a hundred. mmmm. It was fantastic! Everyone included me just like I'd always been a part of the family. It was very comforting.
Mark, Monique & I drove back to Newcastle at night & When I got home I took a bath with some of my new bath stuff. It was so relaxing!
I haven't heard anything from Lindsay yet, so I'm not sure if she's home yet. Although, I'm sure she is. (part of me is hoping that she changed her mind half-way and is on her way back as I type..)