By the time I got back to the main highway, my anticipation and excitement were waning. However, entering into Illinois brought new life and I turned on the AM radio to catch the end of a Cubs win. What a great way to be welcomed home. Driving down the highways and toll roads, I felt a sense of ease. I didn't have to think about where I was going or about checking my gps. It was all so natural and comfortable. Even the driving style of those around me was a comfort. Yes, they were all driving like they were in the race of a lifetime, but it was familiar and I found that I can still keep up. Most people just know that the left lane is the fast lane and if someone is coming up quickly behind you, you move over and let them through. About an a half hour into the great race, I saw a car being pulled over with out of state plates and I was quickly reminded that I now have out of state plates and should probably not drive quite as aggressively.
My nieces didn't know I was coming home, but they weren't home when I got here which gave me time to visit with my parents and siblings, empty my car, and settle in. When the girls got home they were tired and crabby, but as soon as they saw me their faces lit up like it was Christmas morning and they both ran to me while squealing with joy. Just their initial reactions made the long drive worth it. They went to bed and after visiting for a little while longer, my adrenaline ceased, and so did I! Saturday was spent with just the family which was nice. I got a lot of stuff done with my mom that I needed to... like go to Sam's club to replenish my supplies for my house. Thanks Mom!
We had a pretty quiet Father's day. I slept in, meandered around for a while, then went to the pool for a few hours before coming home to grill some yummy steaks with the family. It was a typical holiday here. A lot of laziness. That's actually something that I'm not used to anymore. I found myself anxious to be doing something... anything. No one wanted to play tennis or go for a walk, or a hike. Everyone was pretty content to just sit around. Not really my thing these days. I really missed playing volleyball at church and I'm a little bummed to be missing our softball game tonight too. I tried taking my brother's dog for a walk with my nieces... that was a joke. We got about 3/4 of a mile form the house and the dog laid down and refused to move. I pulled and pulled, but he wouldn't budge. I even pulled his collar off, but he didn't care, he just laid there panting as if he was going to die. He weighs about 50lbs and he's not fond of being picked up (and he's mean), so for fear of being bitten I resolved to drag his fat little butt the 3/4 of a mile back home. Each time we walked through a spot of shade he stopped and laid down. It took us at least 15 minutes to get home. Geez! When even the dog is inactive, you know it's bad!
Last night I spent nearly 3 hours catching up with some very dear, encouraging friends. We served as youth leaders together and they happen to be the parents of 3 youth boys (now college men!) that I've had the pleasure of knowing for years. I just love them all so much. I love catching up with people and being able to be completely, 100% me. The comfort of longstanding relationships is wonderful. We laughed a lot... and we talked about some tough stuff. It was so refreshing. I'm so blessed.
There are aspects of being home that are really hard, but I really am glad to be here. There's no place like home, right? There are just some people that are tough to be around, but I'd say that the good outweighs the bad for sure. What family doesn't experience that, really? I'm excited for the next few days of adventures here. Thanks Jesus.
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