Homesick

It has been 154 days since I left Utah for Atlanta (or 5 months and 2 days) and I'm officially homesick. Previously, the longest I'd been away from home was...like, 2 months. Maybe. Probably more like a month and a half when I lived in Virginia. Don't get me wrong, Atlanta is great, and I'm enjoying life here, but it's just Not Home. Here are some things that I'm missing:

Family - I love my family tons, and I feel like I haven't seen them in forever! With the exception of Mindy and Jeran, because I actually see them tons more now, which is great. Dad did manage to stop by once on a twelve hour layover, which was good. I did get to visit Andrew and Lindsay and Riley in Pittsburgh, too. They're not Utah family though. So, special shout out to Mom and Alyna, both of whom I really really miss a lot! Extended family, too. (Lisa and Cameron, I miss you guys too, but you don't live in Utah. I'll come visit sometime though!)  

Friends - I'm getting lots of friends here, but that doesn't stop me from missing my friends in Logan and in Provo. Especially Erilyn Heintz, Sarah Hafen, April Atkin, and Mindy Pinson. Well, April is actually on her mission, so I wouldn't be able to see her anyway, but I still miss her. (Kalie, you're in Rexburg and I never saw you. We talk more now, but I can't wait to see you again!) 

Desert - I miss the open spaces and sparse beauty of Utah's deserts, especially the red rock areas. I enjoy having trees here, but they give a very uniform look to the landscape.  

Mountains - They're just so majestic and comforting to have near. Also, real hiking involves going up a mountain, not winding around some little trail next to a flat boring river or tiny little park.

Dry heat - It's hot here. Like, ridiculous - 95 degrees and it's only May. I think I might die this summer. The worst part is the humidity which makes the heat suffocating and makes you sweat about 7x more easily. I honestly don't know how people live in places even more hot and humid than this. 

Some aspects of my life at BYU - including my Landscape Management friends and professors, lots of people to go running with (that live nearby), BYU tree crew and all of the fun and chill-ness that implies, Spicy Thai restaurant, J-Dawgs, Jamba Juice, Zupa's, being able to just not go to classes if that's what I really wanted. 

And probably a bunch of other small things. Yep, I'm homesick. Even one of my coworkers noticed and commented on it. His advice was to go home as often as possible, even just for the weekend (yeah, because that works with a $500 plane ticket). I am planning on coming out for a good week and some odd days in August, so I just have to survive another 68 days. 

A short weekend in Cache Valley!

Last weekend my roommates and I took a trip up to Cache Valley.  It was Mindy, Kayla, and I (the three roommates), and April (Oh She Who Lives In Heritage Halls).  After a leisurely morning of test taking and studying, plus I went to the bridal fair with Lisa - which, for the record, was quite fun - we left around 2pm.   Naturally, the car ride was very entertaining, with no actual homework being done, despite the good intentions and plans.  After dropping off April and Mindy at their houses, Kayla and I went to the frat house so I could say hi to Andrew.  Turns out, we came right during the burial services.  It was rather snowy and muddy, so we didn't go to the graveside, but we paid our respects from the porch.  Poor Buddy.  Then we went to Grandma's.  Kayla and I studiously pulled out our homework and promptly fell asleep until shortly before our planned party.  

The party was the girls at Mindy's house.  Being us, we partied by talking a lot.  Then Sam called, so we went over to Villarreal's, where we proceeded to talk some more.  Mindy, Kayla, and I claimed the corner of the couch, ate lots of popcorn, and talked.  There was a point (ok, a long time) where we were half asleep, but someone would start singing, "The sun'll come out, Tomorrow! Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow..."  I decided that we probably seemed pretty drunk.  Too bad we didn't get a picture or a video of that.   Mindy and Kayla and I all stayed at Grandma Briscoe's that night.  In the same room.  And all slept on the queen sized bed.  It made me think of Andrew's story about sleeping on the same queen bed as Garrett, with five feet and a wall of pillows inbetween them.  Quite a difference. 

Sunday we went to Sam's farewell, where he gave a wonderful talk and was supported by many girls, and not so many boys.  I was so happy to see my Tina sister!  It made us think about how soon our Alyna sister will be here!!!  After post-church naps, we went to Villarreals for lunch and talking, then around headed back to Provo around 5:30.  We stopped shortly at Grandma and Grandpa Hatch's, and got back to Provo around 8 after driving through a couple of hours of rain.  

All in all, a great weekend.  I really didn't get much homework done, but other than that, it was a good use of time, visiting with friends and family, and hanging out with roommates!