Yearning

I miss home.

That is something I thought I would never say when I left for college. I knew I would miss my family and friends. I also knew I would miss my physical house, but I didn't think I would miss my town, or being there. But I do. Especially now that it is June, I miss fireflies, I miss evening thunderstorms, I miss being able to get anywhere in town within 5 minutes. I miss the movie theatre that only can play three movies at a time, and almost always 2 of them are R-rated so I can't see them anyway. I miss having a drive-in. I miss how everyone has bonfires in the summer. I miss the humidity. I miss my brothers and sisters playing outside, and begging me to push them on the swings. I miss my Dad complaining about cleaning the pool. I miss going to the Cordova drag strip with my Dad. I miss riding in my Dad's Nova, and telling Moriah that I get to have it when we are old. I miss the grocery store in our town, Fareway. I miss how you go to Walmart when there is nothing better to do, which is most of the time. I miss how no matter how many times you clean off the counter in the kitchen in a day, at the end of the day it is messy and you have to clean it off again because Mom hates going to bed in a messy house. I miss seeing corn grow. I miss driving to Dubuque at least twice a week, normally a lot more. I miss how every few years the Maquoketa River floods and they have to close the bridge that goes to town, which means that it takes a lot longer to get anywhere. I miss having to drop my sister off at her friend's houses and then having to go pick her up, even though that isn't necessary anymore. I miss the community plays at Ohnward every year. Mostly I miss my family.

My mom offered to let me come home for a few days between Spring and Summer terms. As much as I would love to, I know that my parents don't really have the money to fly me home. And I signed up to be a Y-group leader for Summer new student orientation. But I want to go home so bad. I want to watch TV sitting next to my Dad. I want to hug my Mom. I want to beat up my little sister Moriah for growing up, I told her she couldn't. I want to see Lily's bright orange hair. I want to see Keilah and Naidah playing outside in the yard. I just want to see and hug Aaliyah and never let go, I miss her so much. I want to play with Asher and Eli, and marvel at how big they've gotten. I want to see Jediah and Isabellah because I know that they are no longer the babies I left behind.

I want to go home.