girl talk..

“I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying.”

-Charlie Chaplin

"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone"
"Big Yellow Taxi" by Counting Crows

As I'm sitting here listening to Counting Crows to avoid the rain we've been getting since Tuesday or Wednesday, and will have until Thursday or Friday, I'm missing home. I mean, I always miss home, but it's been particularly prevalent these past few days. You know how the weather and your mood tend to correspond? Yeah, that's basically been me practically since it started raining...

Part of it is probably because I've been here about 5 weeks and this is the first full weekend off in a while, so I have nothing to take my mind off the fact that everyone at Bay Path is preparing for Spring Break and heading off on adventures with great friends, and I'm trapped inside watching movies and studying for my Art History test on Wednesday.

I mean, I don't mind watching movies all day, but when I'm already missing home and my family and friends, it makes it that much harder to be reading about everyone getting ready to go to London for a week.

I know I've been having great adventures and I'm sure there are people jealous of my life, but at this moment I just want to enjoy some mom-made comfort food with my family. Or a late-night Peachwave trip. Or even a stay-in movie night with my best friends. But, unfortunately, that won't happen for a bit longer...

HOWEVER I will be going to join the Capitals of the World trip* in London Thursday night until Saturday morning! I will finally get to see some of my best friends after 85 days of being apart. Granted it won't be for very long, only 2 nights and a day-and-a-half, but I don't care. It will be so worth it! I have literally been waiting for this since before I even got here :)

Now, I won't get to see all my friends, because not all of them are going on the trip, but I will get to see most of them, and the others I will see when I go back for graduation in just about 68 days. And of course, we have skype and facebook to continue to stay connected until then.

Last night I had a chance to talk to one of my cousins, Kiah, who reminded me of one of the biggest reasons why I miss home so much: MY FAMILY. We are so close I don't have a favorite holiday because it's always a fantastic time whenever my family gets together. We all love each other unconditionally and I don't know what I would do without any of them. No matter where we are, or how many of us are there, we always have great fun and make wonderful memories.

 

My family is a huge part of who I am, what makes me me, and why I am the way I am. I have friends who hate their family reunions, have never met their cousins, or don't talk to their grandparents, etc. and I simply can not understand that. Family has always been a constant in my life and I can't imagine it any other way. Granted, our schedules are so crazy we don't see each other too often, but every time we do everyone has a great time, and no one wants to leave when it's time.

Whether it's horsing around with my little cousins (who aren't as little as I remember/think they are) or having a quiet dinner with my grandparents, or catching a movie with my older cousins, or celebrating the Forth of July with extended family I hardly know in a family reunion that's been happening every year for the past 100+ years.

No matter the location, number, or names, I love each and every member of my family and am truly blessed to have them in my life. I would definitely be a different person without them in my life.

My family is probably the thing I am most grateful for. For as long as I can remember, around Thanksgiving (or just in general) when ever anyone would ask me what I was thankful for, the first thing to pop in my head was - and still is - my family.

I have lived in the same house in the same quiet neighborhood my entire life. My sister, Beka, and brother, Tom, are just like any other siblings. We get annoyed with each other quite frequently, but I would do anything for them.

My parents are a huge blessing in my life. I do not know what I would do without them. It sounds cliche I know but, seriously. They have always supported me in everything I do; have pushed me to discover who I am and what I want in life; and have raised me to be accepting of everyone, to not be afraid to reach for the stars, and to never forget to take time to appreciate everything life has to offer. Without them, I would not be the woman I am today, and even though I have flaws (as everyone does) I know that they will always love, support, and be there for me in the good times and the bad.

I can not wait to see them in just 56 days :)

*The Capitals of the World trip is something that Bay Path does every year during Spring Break. President Leary and her husband Noel lead a trip to a different world capital for a week. My freshman year they went to Paris, last year they went to Beijing, and this year they're off to London. Any one can go on the trip (as long as they pay, obviously). However, there is a scholarship that allows juniors to go for free. So, if you got the scholarship as part of your financial aid and maintain it, then in your junior year you get to go on the trip for free! I have this scholarship, so if I hadn't decided to go abroad I would be getting ready to fly to London this afternoon. As it is, I'm still going to be there for a little bit, but only because I planned and payed for it. However, because I have the scholarship and am abroad this semester, I get to waive my trip until next year, so next March I'll be off to explore a Capital of the World. I have no idea which one they are thinking of going to, but if I could choose, I would go to Sydney, Australia :)