"Home"

It's crazy how different things are from one state to another, and how we don't realize what we truly have until we live somewhere else, or are conversing with someone from another state.  Yesterday one of the first grade teachers left to go back north (one of the states with an 'I'...) where she is originally from.  She sent a picture of the leaves turning red that she could see from the car and the rest of the teachers went nuts over it.  They were so jealous and in such awe at this distance shot of a mostly hidden tree with leaves turning red.  Even the kids are mesmorized at the idea of the leaves changing colors in the fall.  I've been so accustomed to it I never thought about how exciting that would be for someone who had never seen it.  Yes, I think it's beautiful don't get me wrong, but until now I've been so used to that sight that I never realized how amazing it is to be able to see that year after year. 

The same with snow.  Everyone here, especially the kids (of whom most of them have NEVER seen real snow before), are entranced at the idea.  I can't tell you how many times they have written about it in their journals on topics like "What makes you happy?" or "What do you like to do for fun?".  They are so amazed by the concept, even though they haven't seen it.  When I asked one little girl (who had never seen snow before) why she wrote that she liked building snowmen and snowball fights, she replied that she "just knew" it was a lot of fun.  It took me back and made me think about how much faith they all had that snow was as amazing as everyone seemed to say it was.  That's the kind of faith I want to have in my life.  Even though I can't physically see Jesus or hold Him in my hand, I want to continue to have such faith in everything I read and discuss, that my faith cannot be shaken.  My mentor teacher said she had driven all the way to Georgia one year just so her girls could see snow.  They were thrilled to find the grass lightly dusted with snow, half of the grass still showing.  In Ohio I wouldn't normally even turn my head at such a sight.  It seems so ordinary to me I forget how extraordinary it really is. 

And in all of this, I think about how people from Ohio have that same excitement at the thought of going to a sunny beach, seeing palm trees, and playing in the ocean.  It's crazy how routine that seems to everyone here, especially those who have lived here all their lives.  It just goes to show you how much you can miss, even on a seemingly ordinary day.  I have definitely been taking a lot of Ohio's beauty for granted, and I'm so glad I've had this opportunity to appreciate all that I have back at home.

It's also nice to know I'm not crazy for getting homesick.  A veteran teacher, who's been away from home for years, still gets so homesick she takes off for a few days and flys home for the weekend.  I'm not too excited about going home to cold weather, but I'm glad I get to go home in 2 weeks to still experience a little bit of fall.  Hopefully I'll get to bring back some leaves to show the kids.