missing home

Aaron's mom came to visit! She wasn't able to stay long, but we are really thankful that we got to spend the time we did with her. While she was here we skyped home and Aaron's dad showed us the beach and the beach houses that Aaron grew up going to. When looking at the beach, Aaron said, "I want to go there." The beaches of Thailand that we visit can't compare to the beaches of home. I miss the humidity, the waves, the familiarity, the full length shorts on men and the tops on women, the mullets and farmers' tans donned in stars and bars, and the stars and stripes everywhere and on everything.

It was unbelievably hard when she left on Sunday. I spent Saturday night crying myself to sleep in anticipation of saying goodbye the next day. We have really enjoyed being in China so far, but we don't have plans to go home or see family for at least a year. I anticipated that Christmas would be a hard time to be away from family, but I didn't anticipate summer being as hard as it is. We miss home. I miss family and friends. I miss North Carolina. sweet tea and cheerwine, barbecue and cookouts, camping and fly fishing, Aaron's neighborhood swimming pool and Chapel Hill....the list could go on forever.