Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Freihofer's, please!

Wow.  Just realized I hadn't written since the end of March.  Yikes.

April I flew home to Florida for a week at Easter (check out this for the blessing). It was a blast getting to hang out with friends and being filled with love the whole week.  We went kayaking, drove in the car singing like we can with the windows down, and laughed up a storm. 

It has taken two full years, but it was the first time I went home and did not get sad that I didn't live there.  It felt just like vacation and going home to the Dominican was effortless.  It was very awkward to not feel like I "belonged" in either country the last few years.  I knew this was my forever home but my heart always felt pulled toward the comforts of America.  Thank God it is gone!

So last week, friends and family pitched in to send me home to NY (I guess NY, FL, and the DR are all "home?")

Michael and I drove up for my brother John's wedding.  We had a great time catching up with life on the drive up.  I love turning up the radio and singing with him.  It was about 2 in the morning and we were using the GPS until we were sure we knew where we were.  By then, we were just exhausted.  I had been traveling ALL DAY.  I looked at Mike and said, "Hey, this crazy thing is saying we are 44 minutes away."  He said, "no, that thing is nuts, exit 9 is coming up right here."  I went along with him and as we pulled up to exit 9 off the Northway, we realized something happened.  We were not on the right highway!  I started to laugh my butt off, Mike started to lose it for a minute.  We got off and Mike had to pee.  I said, "pull over and pee, then!"  He was like, "What?  No, you can't do that here, I will get a ticket!"  (I have been living in the DR for too long.  Men can pee anywhere here!  ANYWHERE!)

I got to catch up with my neices and nephews whom have always lived far because I was in Florida the last 10 years.  One day I just took them on the dock and we took turns fishing in a rotation.  I think they loved it as much as I did.  My sister's kid, Lizzy, is a pistol.  She is a look-a-like of Kathleen and a sassy-pants like Aunt Philly.  Uncle Michael used a bad word in front of her and she said, "I may not be able to do anything about it, but she surely can!"  and pointed at me.  HAHAHA  Love that girl.  I love that she knows I will take care of things for her.   I sat next to Lizzy for dinner and she looked at my plate and said, "You didn't get a meatball?"  I said "Nah, I don't want one."  "Oh, okay, then you didnt know THOSE are GRANDMA'S meatballs, right?"  "Oh, yea, I know Gram made them."  "Wait, what? You didnt get one and YOU KNEW she made them?  Why would you do that?  They are my favorite!"
I must agreed with the kid,  they are some of my favorites, too.  Those babies are baseball to softball size.  She is actually an amazing cook.  Everything from scratch.  I envy her talent without recipes.

So I am back home in the DR.  It's good to be back and once again, I was fine with coming back and didn't feel any sadness for feeling torn about where I live.  Things are going well.  Life is good.  This weekend a mission team from Winter Haven, FL is coming down.  I love meeting with teams here locally or having our own because I love getting to meet new people and talking Jesus stuff.  I am excited to see God work in others. 

I leave you with this...
One thing I LOVE about visiting the States is that you get pure joy out of seeing things you haven't seen in a long time gone.  Things that you wouldn't even care about because you see it all the time (living there), become a RUSH of sweet, sweet memories of simple things.  When I got on my Jetblue flight, I got a coffee and the cup was DD.  I smiled ear to ear.  I love seeing Dunkin Donuts.  Reminds me of my BFF, Heather Buell from high school.  She spilled a coolatta all over my car the very last time I saw her.  We laughed so hard that day that our bellies ached.

I woke up one morning at the lake house and this was on the counter... okay, I had to not let the tears well up!  I love these freaking things!  My NYers totally get it. Cinnamon,  PLEASE!  If only I could have had their cookies, too!
Tara and I got a chance to drive around Lake George to get a few things.  I took the ride because I wanted to go down the strip and let the memories just soak up my soul!  We went to Price Chopper.  Oh, the memories of that supermarket <3  Guiseppe's, the Boats, Capri Pizza, late night walks, etc.  I pictured us kids up to NOOOO good at each corner hidden among the tourists on the streets.

And, I miss listening to the radio on scan.  Phyllis Fun Fact:  I love the SCAN button.  That will make memories flow like nothing else. 

I am so thankful God made our brains able to remember things like this.  I love it.  Warms my heart. 

What things warm your heart of memories??





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