Goodbye, St. Louis. Hello, Iowa.

St. Louis has treated us well, or I guess me in particular. Since last Thursday, this has been my leg of tour and goes through our stop on South Dakota on Saturday. It has been such a joyful time, meeting the contacts I have been working with over the phone and getting to know their schools and friends.

Back in San Diego, they told us that we would form a sense of protection and attachment over our new friends and they are so right. I have come to the point of stress in that I want their screenings to go perfectly for them and I want them to feel gratitude and immense appreciation from us. I want to spend every waking moment with them, getting to know their ins and outs, since I may never see them again.

It's a weird paradox. I hate that I have to move on and go to the next state, but if I don't then my other precious soon-to-be-friends won't get the attention they so deserve. I love spending quality time with my friends and it's frustrating having to leave so soon!

But, like I said, this time in St. Louis has been amazing. It may be a city I return to some day. It's big and expansive, but the people are Southern and hospitable, just like what I know.