just a second

Having a memory.
On the road to Alabama from California. Me and Brynnie and Momma had just gotten across the Arkansas border and with the goal of making it to Memphis by dark, stopped for a 15 min rest at the Welcome Center, just as the sky opened up and it went from just overcast skies to an incredibly heavy downpour. We wandered the Welcome Center that was newly built and smelled like eucalyptus wood. Then we walked out the back into a covered porch, sat down in some rocking chairs and watched the rain fall down hard tapping the leaves of every tree, bush and vine of the lush, overgrown forest surrounding us. The sweet aroma of wet nature reached our noses. It smelled like the South. It sounded like the South. I could hear the cicadas' nonstop chirp even over the rain. The nearly oppressive August humidity was not so bad as the clouds had made the heat subside a bit.

It makes me want to cry. I love the South. I love the beginning of the school year. I love what has become my home for the past three years. Man, I don't want to leave it.

But, haha. Here I am in South America. This place is fabulous, too. And I'm always going to have a piece of this city, this country, in my heart.

And in a month, I'll get to spend a couple weeks with my family. Nearly cried today thinking about being able to hug my momma after not seeing her for five months. I miss California, too. So much.

And why is it that even when I'm somewhere incredible my heart longs for home? For both my homes. I'm so happy with my life.






In other news....
I like, pretty much love him