Choices...

On the eighth day, Audrey and I (Anthony liked sleeping in and usually caught up with us later) rose early because we had a long day ahead of us...from Logroño to Nájera it was a 30.6 km walk.  Audrey needed to stop for coffee and I chose to continue walking alone once again, I hadn't realized how much I missed the peace & quiet, a time to reflect or not even think at all, just walk. As I passed, and I'm sure I'll continue to pass, little villages that almost seem deserted, buildings/homes that have been boarded up or just left vacant. The economy in Spain appears to be taking its toll or maybe it's the youth that have chosen to leave the small village for the bigger cities??  
The walk to Nájera was relatively easy, not much climbing or descending :) and my knee fared fairly well, however, I couldn't seem to control the swelling. 
By know you begin to establish a routine...after you find an Albergue and are assigned a bed, you quickly shower, than it's time to wash your clothes and hang it to dry. Everyone always hopes their clothes is there when you return from lunch/dinner. One evening, my own shorts grew legs and walked off, a couple of hours later they reappeared and after that, I made sure I stopped to eat before I found a bed for the night!
Next, we headed to Santo Domingo and again a pleasant walk, I am finding that I'm losing track of days and what I've seen and where...one mountain begins to look like another as well as all the villages. I've taking pictures and hope that I will be able to describe my surroundings.  On this day, we didn't see Anthony until late in the evening, noticed he was limping badly. He had injured himself and had to take it really slow! Due to his job, he only had 10 days to get to Burgos, but decided to call it quits and take the next bus to Burgos, than head back to England.
Fast forward to day eleven-Belorado to Juan De Ortega, a 26.8 km walk but we decided to walk an extra 6 km because we had heard stories about the Albergue  in Juan De Ortega and they were not good (the following day, we heard from those that did stay...they wished they had walked further too).  We stayed in a Albergue called El Peregrino, the rooms were semi-private and the village was peaceful...UNTIL the lights were turned off...in one of the rooms, someone  was snoring like a freight train!! Even with ear plugs you could hear this person, don't know who it was and I don't think anyone got much sleep that evening!!
Next stop was Burgos...this walk was a difficult one but not because it was mountainous but because the foot path was 95% on black asphalt, which then takes you into the city of Burgos! I walked alone again and did a great deal of thinking and I also did something else I hadn't done for myself since I was a little girl...I prayed, not for anyone else but for me, it was then that I realized I was crying, not a sobbing cry but a calming, almost soothing cry (is there such a thing, I don't know, but that's how I felt)!!  I asked Him for forgiveness for shutting the door on Him and asked for guidance and by the time I arrived in Burgos, I knew what I had to do and that was to return home. 
I don't think I'm a quitter nor do I feel like I threw in the towel, there were other things that weighed heavily on my mind. One being my knee and the swelling and I just couldn't see myself taking pill after pill to try and control it, second, is a blister that would not heal no matter what I did, it only grew bigger and more painful! The third and most important reason for my decision was my family. I came here so that I could begin to heal and in order for me to heal completely, I need my spouse and my kids!! :) OH! And of course my good friends! :)

I may not have been dealt a good hand growing up and it was not always a pleasant environment to be in but it made me who I am today, I broke the cycle and was able to give my kids the life I always wanted, a happy, loving home!  We have had rough times, what family doesn't, but it was always a home full of love!!!  I still have my work cut out for me, I must learn to believe in myself, to like myself...Things will not always be easy, but at least now I have a very powerful tool by my side...God, He was just waiting for me to re-open the door!!

During my time in Spain I was asked what my nationality was, it was quite funny at times...I was asked if I was from Portuguese, Guatemala, Brazil and other Latin countries, no one ever guessed the 'Good Ole' US of A'...Some what funny because I have been trying to figure that out myself for sometime :D