Things I miss...

As you know, being sick sometimes makes you homesick as well.  After spending the last two weeks being sick I thought a lot about the things I miss at home.  So, even though I am very happy here, I thought I'd share the things I miss from home...

• Mom!  I miss talking to her almost every day.  I miss our quarterly visits! ;) I miss visiting on the weekends and going to church with her, seeing the LBC gang, and being first in line for the goodies after mass.  I miss shopping with her (although we are horrible for each other - spend way too much money when we're together!)  I miss watching TV and commenting on everything.  I miss just hanging out and doing nothing with her.

• My sisters!  I miss my weekly/bi-weekly visits to Meg's house for dinner.  I miss the occasional trip to Findlay Market with her.  I miss driving by Julie's and calling her on the phone saying, "I'm driving by your house, are you home?  Good, I'm stopping in for a visit!"  I miss chatting with both of them on the phone and dissecting everything going on in the family!

• My brother!  Although I'm used to missing him, since he's been overseas for soooooo long, I always miss him!

• My nieces and nephews!  I miss Grace cooking dinner for me!  I miss seeing the kids when they are home from college.  I miss seeing them on holidays.  I miss hearing all the scoop about them from their mothers.  I miss going to Mercy plays and Madeira volleyball, basketball, football games.  I miss hearing about the latest boyfriend/girlfriend and the saga that goes along with that!

• Family!  I miss the Wilger cousin lunches...how nice it was to see that group more than once a year!  I miss the occasional visits and holidays with my Aunt Kathy and my wonderful cousins!

• My friends!  I miss hanging out with Ellen and Maddie.  I miss Sunday Dinners where I got to cook for all my friends.  I miss going to Findlay Market with Mary.  I miss drinking beer with Ray.  I miss talking about work and everything else with Jeff.  I miss playing Wii games and always losing to Maddie.  I miss going out to dinner and then the bookstore with the girls.  I miss going to the movies and eating lots of popcorn with the girls!  (We had a lot of "girls nights!"

• Food!  I miss Chipotle burrito bowls.  I miss chicken fried rice - without bean sprouts - from PF Chang's.  I miss big, juicy steaks from Longhorn Steak.  I miss Skyline Chili (although Jeff did send me a bunch of cans, so I can get a fix now and then!)  I miss Graeters ice cream.  I miss ZZ's Pizza.  I miss Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich.  Yummmmmmm!

So, there you have it...all the things I miss.  It actually makes me feel better to write it all out, like I was actually experiencing it.  It's tough to be so far from the things I love.  I've always been a bit of a homebody.  Although I've had an urge to get out and experience, "more" I also loved just being home surrounded by my family and friends.  It's hard to be away from all these things.    

Thanks to all of you who write me and keep me in the loop.  I really appreciate hearing from people.  I'm sorry if I don't always get a chance to write back.  Please know, though, that your contact is GREATLY appreciated.  It's good to have a little piece of home in my email box!!