sweet home alabama

Home! I’m home! I knew that I missed Alabama and the South, but I didn’t know I would miss it this much. I was pretty much going 90 mph once I got out of Nashville because I was just so ready to get home.

Since I have been home, I have had a pretty awesome time. I got to see my sisters and a few of my close friends on Friday night. We went to Al’s, which I have been CRAVING since October, when I first experience Cleveland nightlife (went to B-sides, left at 2AM, NEEDED Al’s since 2AM is the best time for Al’s…but not in Cleveland). On Saturday, one of my friends got married, and I got to see all of my church friends. Also, I took one of my really good friends as a date, so we got even more playing time, and we pretty much owned the dance floor with our sweet dance moves.

On Sunday, I got to go to church for the first time in months. I haven’t gone to church in Cleveland, mostly because I feel like I don’t have time to look for a church service to attend. I also haven’t gone to church in Cleveland because I feel really attached to First Church, and part of me feels like I won’t find that sort of fellowship in any other church. I guess I will try looking next semester, when I don’t have a Saturday lab. 

Anyways, I want to keep talking about church a little bit. I feel like it is very hard to keep your faith in a scientific community. Most people don’t believe in any sort of religious being or identify with any faith. This isn’t something that makes me want to turn away from the sciences; rather, I am totally okay with being around people who have different beliefs and ideologies. I like getting to learn about what other people think. I like getting new perspectives. I feel like it helps me to be a more understanding and accepting person, and it makes me appreciate my faith so much more. I wasn’t really ready for how much it would impact me when I got back into a community of shared faiths…it makes me realize that my faith and going to church is something that is really important to me. It helps me find my footing when things are rough. It gives me a group of people to connect with when things are good or bad. I love saying “Thanks be to God” after someone reads a passage of scripture. I love the feel of the hymnal in my hand. I love the ritual of communion and the community that it builds. It’s just good. 

So yeah. Church. So good. 

After church I got to be reunited with my true love SALSARITA’S and my bess frannn. When we went inside, the manager was helping serve in the line, and I pretty much gushed to him about how much I was ready for some Salsarita’s and how Chipotle couldn’t hold a candle to Salsarita’s fresh cantina. SO GOOD. 

I also saw one of my sisters in BSC’s production of Spring Awakening. Guys, let me tell you. That show was awesome. Go out and see it now. Also, I know I am biased, but my sister is one of the most talented people I know. After the show, the three of us had a pretty sweet cryfest in the lobby…I think it was because we were overwhelmed from the show and also because we were all reunited. Again. SO GOOD.

I got to see a lot of my friends at Friend Thanksgiving…things got pretty buckwild at one point, so it was awesome.

Now I get to see some family members today on real Thanksgiving. I feel like I should make some sort of post about things that I am thankful for, but really, I am thankful for a lot of things every day. Like my education, my friends, my family, my access to food and clean water, my apartment, my car… So on days like Thanksgiving, I can’t narrow it down because I am thankful for so many things every single day!