Home

Today I miss home. Georgia.

I know that home never stays the same. People are coming and going. Friends change. People get married. People move. Jobs transfer. However, there are those periods of time the Lord is kind and allows us to spend time, years, with people we love. We grow together. We laugh and cry. They know us; the good, the bad, and the weird.

Today is one of those days where I miss those moments. Those people.

Since I've been gone two of my best friends have gotten engaged.

Katie has had a special place in my heart since we shared an epic experience at a Christmas party back at UGA. After exam studying, a remainder of a bagel, and 4 years later not many can make me laugh like she can; or see deep into who I am. She's marrying my best friend from high school, and it makes me sad that I've missed her entire engagement.

Jamie is the pea in my pod. She's my cradle to grave friend. We've been friends for almost 20 years now. We've seen each other through the awkward middle school years, laughed our way through highschool and even followed each other to college, where I'm pretty sure we laughed harder. She was my dearest friend through those changing years. We even lived together after college when we tried to figure out what being a grown up looked like! I remember when she first met her fiance and how he wanted to "train" with us for our Triathlon. That was just the beginning for them. I have the blessing of being the maid of honor in her wedding and wish I could be with her leading up to her big day.

\

Mary and Patrick bought a new house! They were some of my first college friends and were such crucial people in my life during and after college.

I've had friends lose loved ones and not been able to hug their tears away.

Christina has had a baby. I never got to see her pregnant, but I know she was beautiful! And now I know she is a beautiful mother. I can't wait to meet her little Isa.

My brother is back from traveling Central America. I'll get to see him come October, but it will have been 8 months since I saw him last. That's the longest I've ever gone without seeing him in his 23 years.

These are the things that break my heart.

Life continues on after you leave, and I hate that I'm missing so many significant moments in the lives of people I love.

I know God has called me out here for now and I'm excited to see his plan unfold, but that doesn't mean this road is without tears or homesickness.

Today I miss the smell of Georgia clay after the rain.

I miss driving down country roads in Athens and sitting on the back porch during warm summer nights.

I miss being 30 minute drive from 99% of the people that I love the most.

I miss being able to hug family.

I miss lightning bugs and stormy afternoons.

I miss water and time at the lake.

I miss seeing UGA stickers.....I even miss seeing FL stickers. (sad right?)

I miss laughing till the tears come with people that know me the most.

I miss my church.

I miss the comfort of things that are known and familiar.

I miss the South.

I miss my mom's home cooked meals and being able to spend time with family.

I miss being able to talk about cities, roads, and people and having others know exactly who/what I'm talking about.

I miss the people I've known for years.

I miss home.