Home is where my heart is

You know what they say: Time flies when you are having fun. I must be having fun because time has sure flown since I got home! Words can’t express how good it feels to be HOME. My real home, with my real family, my friends, my real bed, my favorite food, my church, my car, and ENGLISH! Home is where my heart is.

I’ll always remember what the first few days that I was home were like (and I can only imagine how it will be when I come home in December, after being away for twice as long!). Being home felt surreal! As my last flight began it’s landing in LOUISVILLE my heart began to beat rapidly and I was filled with giddy. I pushed my way past everyone on the plane and ran through the gate as soon as I was through the crowd. I walked briskly, so excited to finally be HOME! In the distance I saw my family and friends and began running again to meet them! Oh what a joyous encounter! My whole family (with the exception of Zach, the other world traveler) as well as Shelby, Cathy, Joanna, Peter and Rebekah were all waiting for me! This was the moment I had been looking forward to for so long. I was with the people I love.

We drove home that night and I walked into my house… everything about Costa Rica started to feel like a distant dream. I went up to my room and just stood there, taking it all in. My bed, my carpet, my pictures, my mail… everything was just the way that I had left it. Josh brought me my iphone and I had to remind myself how to use it. Texting, what was that again?! I took a shower and hopped into my bed. As my exhausted body slipped under the warm flannel covers of my comfortable bed for the first time in eight weeks, I couldn’t keep myself from making actual noises: “Ooooooo, YES, YEEEESSSSS, Thank you LORD!! Oooo O O.”

The next morning I went to church – Southeast Christian Church! My favorite church in the whole world! It was such a sweet and amazing service! Kyle preached on God’s grace and forgiveness and over 300 people repented and were baptized! What an incredible testimony of the power of God still working here in America! I couldn’t help but wonder: IS THIS REALLY MY LIFE?!

The first week that I was home was spent doing everything that I had been deprived of for the previous eight weeks. I ran in my neighborhood, spent time with my family, enjoyed my mom’s cooking, went to the mall, had sleepovers with my friends and so much more. We had a cookout in the beginning of the week to welcome home both Zach and I. Most of our friends came and it was SO fun to see them again and to catch-up on everyone’s lives! Rebekah was even in town that week so I was able to spend a few days with her – such a treat!

The first full weekend that I was home, we went on a Feinn family camping trip! Jenna came with us for one night and it was SO great to see her and to spend some time with her! Zach had about nine friends come along as well, so in total, we had a pretty large group! We rented a boat for the weekend and enjoyed some time out on the lake. It would have been perfect if it hadn’t been SO sweltering hot (It felt like hot yoga, camping style) or if it hadn’t rained the second night we were there. It rained so hard, that Katie and I ended-up sleeping in the suburban! But even with these little camping trials, many memories were made and it was a wonderful weekend!

The second week (last week) was spent much like the first. I was busy every day. I packed in as much time as possible with Cathy and Shelby before they left for college. Thursday night was spent at Shelby’s house. I awoke Friday morning to my mom calling me to inform me that she was on her way to Nebraska and asking me to come home.

A few hours later, we received the news that my Grandfather, Myron Cate, had passed into eternity. For those who don’t know his story, he had been sick for years, plagued with Parkinson’s disease and Prostate Cancer. We expected him to pass sometime this summer, and actually expected it to be sooner. God’s timing is perfect, and I’m glad that it happened while I was home. Grandpa’s suffering was finally ended and he is now in Heaven with Jesus – truly living. He lived a life devoted to Christ and left a legacy. I wish that I had been able to get to know him better while he was here in this life, but I’m looking forward to spending eternity with him.

With this turn of events, Mom was scheduled to be in Nebraska for a complete week. This meant that Gram and I would be sharing her responsibilities of homeschooling, cooking, cleaning, transporting, and running the household during her absence. I’m glad that I could be home to help out with this; but a little sad because that meant one less week with my mom.

On Sunday night, I went down to Western with Katie to help out with M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan (Freshman week) and to see all of my friends one last time before I head back to Costa Rica. We were only there through Monday night, but it was a great visit. Sunday night we met up with a lot of our friends (Josh, Zach, Lukas, Omar, Andrew, Katie, Jenna, Emily, and Ashton) at our favorite Mexican restaurant. Omar and I conversed in Spanish, which was so fun! It’s hard for me to see a change in my Spanish since it’s very gradual, but he hasn’t seen me since last semester and was really excited about how much my Spanish had improved. (I’m still thinking that he was just being nice, but nonetheless, it was encouraging!). Afterwards, we went and watched a movie at Zach and Lukas’ apartment, followed by a trip to Steak n’ Shake. All in all, it was a very fun night and I LOVED getting to see everyone again! Katie, Ashton, Emily, and I all stayed in Jenna’s apartment that night. Jenna and I stayed up pretty late talking. ☺

The next morning we helped CRU pass-out water/popsicles and information about their ministry and events for that week. I loved getting to be a part of this and getting to meet some of the new freshman. That night we had the first CRU for the semester. It was a full house – packed with freshman! PTL – Praise the Lord! Ashton (a good friend of mine from my Bible study) gave a little testimony about how CRU impacted her life and encouraged the freshman to get involved with a Bible study. Then Omar gave a similar testimony about Fall get-away. The band was led by a lot of my friends including Hannah. It was so sweet to be there for the first CRU and to see how much God has done in the last year. A year ago, I didn’t know any of these people and I was just like all of those freshmen sitting in the audience: a little scared and intimidated, but eager and excited for the new chapter. Now, I was watching some of my closest friends leading! The same friends whom a year ago, were also freshman! God has blessed my life in so many ways through CRU and through friends and my prayer is that He does the same for this year’s freshman. I’m really sad that I won’t be a part of this semester, but excited to come back and see all that He has done!

After CRU, I tearfully said my goodbyes to my friends. It was hard and very sad. I hated having to say goodbye to Hannah. She and I have been in almost every class together and I love her so much. She has been a blessing from God since day one when we decided to be best friends and then soon realized that we had already met in an airport in Miami earlier that summer. She’s been my study partner and a constant encourager and companion in my classes. Since I’m studying abroad this semester, I’m going to be a semester behind her and we won’t be able to take all of our classes together anymore – truly a downside of this decision. It was also really hard to say goodbye to Jenna, Ashton, Jill, Katie… and the list goes on! After CRU, Tyler drove Katie and I back to Louisville and I said my sad goodbyes to them as well.

Since then, I’ve been at home, helping Gram babysit my family. It’s been great to spend some time with my siblings. Gabe, Livy and I have been doing crafts, making cookies, turning my bed into a fort, and having sleepovers. I’ve enjoyed spending time with Gram in the kitchen. Last night Dad and I took the little kids on a pleasant walk in the neighborhood, and tonight Josh and Isaac and I went to Dairy Queen and then walked around Target. Home is truly where my heart is. Thank you Lord for this sweet time with my family and may I take advantage of every opportunity while I have it and cherish every moment.