What I Miss

Today is Independence Day in Honduras, which means no school!! I stayed up late last night, watching Madagascar and enjoying the thought that I didn't have to wake up at 5:30 the next morning. I slept in until 9:30 when the Chinese kid in the house next to me started screaming. I mean, it wasn't the best way to wake up, but I am sure there could be worse ways. I didn't feel like moving though, so I just laid in my bed and let the coolness of the fan blow on me. When I did get out of bed, it was to shower and then I came right back to bed. I watched Netflix and while I was doing that, I was hit with overwhelming sadness. It is really true. I got very sad.

I miss home. I miss it a lot. Thinking about being there makes me want to cry. I know at some point that everyone needs to grow up and go off and experience the world and be their own person and what not. I think that I needed that, but I also think that I am one of those people who is happier living closer to family than wanting to live miles and miles away from home.

I miss a lot of specific things. They are really bizarre.

I miss pulling into church on Monday nights for 717 and walking through the parking lot into church. I miss 717 of course, but for whatever reason, those few minutes of walking into the church is what I miss most.

I miss my car. I miss her curves and all her edges and all her perfect imperfections. I miss the crayon smell that overpowers you when you open the door. Bubbles is such a great car and we have been through so much together. I miss driving in general to. I think perhaps some of my favorite days last fall were the days when I was driving down to Indiana Wesleyan to see Claire. There is this really eerie looking church that is right outside of Warsaw on the way to IWU. I don't know why but I would always get really happy to see that church. And the drive to IWU is beautiful. There are like a million and a half donut shops, you get to drive through Nappannee and there are pretty fall colors the whole drive there. The same came be said for driving up to Michigan to visit my grandparents. I love that drive too. Man, I miss driving so much!

You know when you are really hungry for chicken and noodles and mashed potatoes?! It happens to the best of us, it really does. And when I am hungry for this, I miss Shipshewana. I miss Essenhaus and their delicious peanut butter pie and whoppie pies. And though it semi drives me insane, I wouldn't really mind getting stuck behind a buggy driving from Middlebury into Shipshewana. I would enjoy it today. I can't wait for Amish food in December!

I am surrounded by Hispanic food, and what do you know, I miss Hacienda. I really wanted a wet burrito last night. You know the giant ones that they serve on the hot plates that burn your hands if you touch them accidentally? That's the one I miss. Plus Chips and Ranch.

Sundays are a difficult day for me here, because even though they are my favorite day of the week, I really miss my family on Sundays. My church family too, not just mom, dad and Claire. I love the people at Rivervalley. I love the support that is coming from my church, financially and in prayer. I am so excited for Christmas Eve service this year.

I miss my bed. I love my bed so much. It is the perfect place to spend all day and all night. Especially when Lucy is curled up in my bed with me. That is one of my favorite things in this whole world. I love those moments.

I miss Mishawaka/South Bend on game day. I don't really like football, mostly because I don't understand it totally and also it makes me nervous when they all start tackling each other and all I see in my mind is broken bones and such. All that to say, I love our area on game day, how hype everyone is, how busy it is and then the game starts and it is just quiet. I have missed that this year.

I miss going to Bethel and calling Kara to come walk me in because I don't want to walk in by myself haha! I miss being at a college, and I miss all the crazy shenanigans and hoodrat things we do together. Like, I don't think anyone could understand the level of missing in which I miss Kara. And my other Bethel friends.

I miss Walmart. Like it is open 24 hours, do you know how incredible that is?! I could always count on Walmart, like when I needed hair dye at 9 in the evening and I didn't want to wait until the next morning to get it. Or if i really just wanted a pineapple.  You can go to Walmart at any time and basically find whatever you need.

I miss my clothes. Yes, I have clothes here, but I feel like my personal style is so restricted. And when I wear what I want, it is usually too hot to be comfortable. If I could wear jeans and a black long sleeve shirt all the time, I would be the happiest person in the world. I love that combo.

There are no Old Navy stores here. I can't adequately get my shopping on without an Old Navy to be honest. That store always spoke to me on a personal level. I love boring Old Navy clothes so much!

That is what I miss, and all my friends and my family. I miss home a majority of the time. But the times that I don't miss home while I am here, are some of the greatest moments ever! I wish I could take everything I love about Honduras and move it to Indiana. That would be awesome!