My head has been a jumble of constantly changing emotions ever since we made it through customs at the Atlanta airport without having to convince the officials that the kilo bags of green grass we were carrying was yerba mate) and not something stronger. For 5-year old Mariela who lives only in the present, being home meant cousins, kindergarten, and cats. While I was definitely excited for the same reasons, it wasn’t the same heart-thumping thrill that made her squeal with joy as our plane landed in Denver. After six months in South America living day to day, our arrival was marred by the anxiety of being home, making lists, setting goals, making money, and what the hell were we going to do now? Did we change? Are we the same? What did we learn? Will life go back to “normal?” What is normal? Do we want normal?

To make me more excited I thought I’d jot down a quick list what I missed about the USA. It was a struggle… friends and family (obviously), NPR, easy to find health food, my bike, my skis, my chiropractor, my Tempur-Pedic mattress, going to bed at 10:00 pm, inexpensive books, and, I’ll admit it, a good internet connection, electricity, and hot water on demand.

The list of what I didn’t miss could get obnoxiously long, but the top winners are cell phones, information overload, politics, schedules, traffic, bank accounts, a good internet connection (see above), too many choices, too many distractions, too many opportunities. Yes, you read it right. As Barry Schwartz argues in his brilliant book The Paradox of Choice: How the Culture of Abundance Robs Us of Satisfaction, the number of choices and opportunities available to us can paralyzes rather than liberates us.

After spending a few days enjoying our cousins in Fort Collins attending 4th grade tag football games, an art opening, family bbq’s, a few trips to Whole Foods, and a Lost rerun the USA started to grow on me. When we finally arrived in the Tetons a lovely, muddy spring day and herds of bison and elk greeted us. Like us, the animals were moving to their summer pasture and the verdant shoots of grass and budding bushes reminded us that life is a cycle, and spring is a wonderful time for opportunity.

Last night was the second annual Locavore’s Night Out at the Wildwood Room in Victor. Over 300 community foodies came to sample local foods and beverages, learn about CSA’s, and chowed down on local lamb curry, pesto pasta with spicy Cosmic Apple sausage, and HD Dunn beef burgers. We bought sweet pea and radish seeds saved by the kids from Mariela’s summer camp, local burger meat and a mother’s day cake. I was asked to think about starting a local food magazine, tried to talk my way into an internship making organic raw milk cheese, started planning a Slow Food in the Tetons spring party, made a lunch date to talk about cooking classes for kids, and made a ski date with a great friend.

This morning I woke up to thoughts of what other seeds I should order for the garden and renting a tiller while the soil is still moist from a huge winter. I jumped out of bed at 5:30 am to try to get some writing done before a day of driver’s license renewals, cell phone startup, grocery shopping and unpacking. I’m determined to keep out the clutter and focus on what I’ve learned is important after six months away. I finally feel like I am home, and even though our plates are already full, it isn’t all that scary anymore.