This morning I was thinking about the "bloggers-block" I have had recently and it hit me: I'm a little homesick. Don't get me wrong - I love Edmond, the friends I have made here, the things we are doing, and I am content with my life overall. But boy, do I miss my friends and family in South Carolina. Especially my family. As Thanksgiving and Christmas draw ever-closer, I have realized that there's just no substitute for being near our extended family and that makes me homesick. So I'm going to go a little backwards on the usual "I am thankful for" theme. I am going to write about what I miss the most about being in South Carolina, and never fully expressed my gratitude for while I had it. But before I begin, please don't get the idea that I'm sitting at my computer being depressed, because I'm not. This is my way of reminiscing about "good times" and smiling over them again.
The Top 10 Things I Miss About South Carolina
(in no particular order)
1. Family Babysitters. I don't miss these babysitters because they were free - I miss them because my kids got to spend time with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins one-on-one without having a lot of others around.
2. Sunday Nights at the Noni & Papa's house. Almost every Sunday evening we would go to Ben's parents' house for dinner. This was often the funnest night of my week. Dinner wasn't just for family, but often included some special friends as well. We'd hang out, socialize, and sometimes even play games. I miss the conversation, laughter, and sometimes I even miss being the butt of a good joke.
3. My Dogs. When we moved we had to find new homes for our 2 dogs, Precious and Gus. I miss my dogs. Gus is an adorable dog that looks like a lab but has really short legs. We used to go on runs together, and he always had the sweetest temperament - except with other dogs. Poor guy was the only male dog on our street, and kept picking fights with the other girl-dogs. I think he was just flirting. Precious is a toy poodle, and when she'd get groomed, she would come home with cute bows in her ears. If I ever sat down for a minute, she'd come get on my lap. And she slept in our bed, under the covers by our feet. When we first got her Ben worried that she'd suffocate under there, but that's where she was most cozy!
4. Scrabble Dates with Trish. I am not obsessed with Scrabble. I just love it and I love to play it. And it was wonderful having someone to play with who enjoys it as much as I do. My kids would stay home with Ben and I could go to Trish's house and have adult conversation and pretend that my life didn't revolve around laundry, housework, homeschooling, and kids.
5. Crews Family Dinners. I have to make a distinction between the meals I'd have with my in-laws and the meals I'd have with my own family. My husband is fond of telling people that I can hold multiple conversations at the same time with my sisters. These dinners were often a little crazy, and sometimes crowded, but they were home.
6. Making music with Sophia. Whether in Sacrament meeting or her living room, Sophia is one of those special people who embrace music with a passion that is all-encompassing. When I sing with Sophia, it is so easy to just let myself go and pour my heart out when I sing.
7. My two Moms. I am one of the fortunate ones who not only has a great mother, but a great mother-in-law, too! Both of these choice women are not only my "mom", but also among my best friends.
8. Visits with Becky. Although I miss several of my friends very much, Becky and I have been friends since 8th grade. We'd get together several times a year either in Summerville, Lugoff, or half-way between. I loved driving the back roads across the state and then spending the day with her shopping or dining or just walking around. And she's my "Thai buddy". Ben just won't try it, no matter how much I ask.
9. My house. Yes, I miss my house. I miss the fact that I owned the place that I lived, and everything was in pretty good shape. I miss the fact that it is relatively new and there were no major problems, like wood rot on the roof or, junky shelving in the kitchen cabinets or an AC unit that spews dust into the air like Mount Vesuvius. I miss the walls that were (partly) painted and the mural that Dorothy did for Connor. And I miss all my kitchen drawer space.
10. Ward Dinners. You know, there's just something about southern cooking. And if there was a ward dinner at church you'd know that there was going to be some mac 'n cheese, lasagna, fried chicken, rolls, and a bunch of desserts made with Cool Whip or chocolate - manna of the gods. And it would be an effort not to overeat. I just don't think you can find those kind of church dinners anywhere else.
4 comments:
I too, am getting more homesick as the holidays get closer! Family babysitters are the best, no one else even comes close. Sunday dinners are so much fun, especially with SISTERS! like a big ol' laugh fest. I didn't have dogs but I do miss all my guinea pigs, having only one instead of 7 is a bit sad. Too bad you had to give your dogs away, they sounded pretty fun.
We at Noni and Papa's house
do and will miss you. You were such a good sport but you weren't the only one who was the butt of a joke. We all got our share when playing Idiotnoni
We're still looking for the butt of jokes, sometimes Heather gets tagged but Mike and Nick are still searching for the perfect one. You have to fly pretty low to miss those two. We can send them your way if you get to missing them too much.
I cried when I read your list :( Maybe it was the song i was listening to(sinead o'conners "nothing compares...). Either way, you hit a soft spot. You are sorely missed.
Post a Comment