My Hope Floats

Chessy title, yes I know. It's been an emotional day, like a roller coaster of some kind. I think I've thought about everything I possibly could today and I'm still awake and sane, for the most part. It must have been the whole grain Cheerios. They were great this morning, Berry Bursts Strawberry and Banana, you should try it sometime. Fabulous.

Church was great today. I was so tuned into the message today that it even left me thinking for hours on end after church was dismissed. A part of that message was directed at how the modern church has somewhat failed in trying to keep tradition rather than keeping truth and faith. That idea hit so close to home- literally. I can think of the top of my head of families who sit in the same pew every Sunday and my home church and refuse to talk to certain people because they won't forgive, others stare if you're not wearing the appropriate clothing, and so on. There's nothing wrong with hymns and pews, but the church of today needs to "repackage" but not "replace". There seems to be some many misconceptions and barriers about Christians, and sometimes they’re true. In a way, it made me grateful that I found a church I really connect to, along with many other Christians, some who are college students attending Edinboro. I felt at home.

The afternoon became stressful. I decided to leave the dorm room that was causing the frustration and left to do some laundry at the Potter's House A.K.A my safe haven. I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for the Potter's House. The warm walls, the soft couch, the welcoming people, the colorful walls, it's a second home to me. I love the structure, the sliding French doors, even the basement that is falling apart. (Mostly because it reminds me of my grandfather's basement). Laundry and some reading, which then evolved into a movie - a nice Sunday evening.

A resident at the house, H, pictured above with me at the football game, has a boot load full of movies, a great majority of them being chick flicks. I debated between Serendipity and Hope Floats, and had to go with Hope Floats, mostly because of Harry Connick Jr. I needed a pick me up. I know my mother would be right along side of me with that choice. Haha.

The movie was good; hopefully those reading have seen it. At the end, I wasn't so much longing for a special someone to come along in my life, like most girls would do after a chick flick, but I missed home. The movie is set at the main character's country home with her Mother and Father. As I folded my laundry I felt a yearning I used to feel when I missed Wuvor- the feeling of missing someone that you love. I also feel honored and fortunate to have such a great home life in comparison to others who dread a call from their parents or refuse to spend any time in the house they grew up in. I have an insurmountable amount of memories from home that make me smile ear to ear. Funny, the summer before I didn’t spend much time at home, and this summer, I didn’t spend much time with Wuvor. A lot does change in a year.

This past summer was almost like a good cup of tea- you didn't want to drink it right away it was so good, but to savor the taste and enjoy every morsel of flavor on your tongue. I loved being at home this summer, probably one of the reasons it was hard at first to come back to school. Late nights with David Letterman, breakfast Saturday mornings, Sunday dinner, fresh cut green grass and sitting on the porch with the pets enjoying the air. Such beauties make me wish upon stars in the night sky for a home of my own so soothing and warm someday, a home just catty corner from my parent’s house, right in the hay field, with a gravel driveway, lots of windows so the sunshine streams inward, and a big ol' dog that visits the family and neighborhood, just like mine. I know I'm not the keeper of my stars and the one who's holding the map of my life, I leave that up to the good Lord, but I hope it's in the plans. I honestly could never live in the city. You can't smell the fresh cut grass or the crickets at night, instead it’s filled with horns and sirens, smoke and dust. My heart could never call that home. My friend K lives in Pittsburgh and honestly can't wait until she returns home. As that song goes "You can take the girl out of country but you can't take the country out of the girl"… or something to that extent.

It will be great to be home again the weekend of October 15th. In fact, I hope I can leave Thursday in order to get more quality time, especially with that baby girl I miss so much. I already have a list of things I would like to do while being at home. One is to work on my Aunt and Uncle's computer; another is to attend the Corn Maze that my old Art Teacher hosts for a fundraiser, maybe even some good old yard sales with mother. Besides, I still have stuff at home that I have forgotten to bring back to the Boro. I just keep forgetting.

Speaking of the Boro, the football game was good. I was planning to make a trip home this weekend but I was invited to sit in the President's Reserved Section to watch the football game, since I'm a Highland Ambassador. It pays to know the big man. He's so jovial and kind, and it never ceases to amaze me how large his hands are when he gives you a hand shake. But anyway, Edinboro beat Shippensburg 16-0, a good game but not too exciting. SRU, my brother's University, creamed the corn out of Lock Haven this weekend, but that is no consolation for what a pounding they'll get October 22nd when they come to the Snow Belt to get beat down by my Fighting Scots.

Anyway, it's time for me to head on out. There is laundry calling my name to put them back in their file cabinets AKA dresser drawers. Have a good one, see ya round.