NOTE: I started this post a few weeks back, and slowly have added to it. I decided to go ahead and post, because I'm sure this list will continue to grow.
Random Things That I Miss...
1) Good, quality SWEET TEA! : Here, we still make sweet tea, but the water from the tap is just plain nasty. The first few attempts, the tea did not taste right. At least we have learned that if we only use water from our Brita pitcher in the "tea-making process" then it comes out close to what it should.
2) High school football: I went to my first high school game here at Poly last Friday and was expecting the same type of atmosphere. Poly (the school where I work) has about 2800 kids, so I was expecting a stadium like Dorman, Gaffney, etc. because it is a stadium that several schools in the district share. It was a brand new facility, but I swear it was smaller than Chesnee's stadium. Don't get me wrong, it was nice, field turf on the field, but the stands weren't full. It lacked that normal "Friday Night feel".
3)ESPN: We decided to buy a digital antenna so we could maybe pick up a few channels and at least use our TV. We have still decided against getting cable. One, having the long drive that I do, I normally go to bed quite early, so I don't have a lot of time to watch anyway. Two, Megan doesn't want HGTV and such to be a distraction. Three, any good games these days will be on ESPN3, so I can just watch them online. We finally got the antenna situated just right where we can get all of the major stations (ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX, and only about 60 other stations that are in a different language.
4) Speaking of ESPN: Still haven't quite gotten use to getting up at 9:00 am on a Saturday to see college football on ESPN3. The one nice thing are the big games that normally start at 7 or 8, and are typically done by that time. Now, if only they would put College GameDay on ESPN3, I'd be set!
5) My Church Family: We have still been on the hunt for a church, and it is not easy. While none of them are bad, it's all just so new. It is hard to "know" that you are in the right place after one visit, and we don't want to start going to small groups until we know that is the church we want to attend. We are also still struggling (or I am at least) on whether or not we should get back involved with high schoolers in the church setting again right away.
6) Chesnee High School (and extracurriculars): I am very thankful for my job! But the school environments are just not the same. Not necessarily good or bad, just different. I miss the small family atmosphere at Chesnee. I miss the Annex, and my tiny, air conditioning unit filled room. I miss hearing two lessons going on simultaneously while I try to teach mine. (Thanks Coach Fogle and Coach Luedeman! I learned a ton about US History from my free lessons!) Most of all, I miss the sports and extracurriculars. I miss not being able to go watch the Lady Eagles try to repeat as region champs in volleyball this year. I miss Friday Nights, listening to the band, and watching the games. I miss Beta Club, and talking with Ritchie and Stephanie about ideas, props, budget, and such. I miss the students, and I miss seeing familiar faces in the halls. Quite frankly, I miss halls in general. The school layout here is quite different.
7)Thunderstorms: It hasn't rained AT ALL since we've been here. The weather is nice, very little humidity, and here in Whittier, where we live the temperatures are great. In Riverside, where I work, it reminds me a lot more of South Carolina. It normally is about 10-15 degrees warmer there than at our apartment. I hear there is a rainy season, and that I will be eating my words then, but I want it to rain!
8) Cheap Gas: I took for granted that SC has the cheapest gas in the country. Now that I am driving 90 miles and two hours each day, I am feeling the full effect of California gas. I normally can get gas for under $2.90, but occasionally, the best I can find is just over $3.00. Even after being out here over a month, it still hurts to see over $3.00 a gallon.
9) Stars: I use to love when I had to take Mo out late at night at the parsonage, just standing and staring at the sky. Away from the city lights of Gaffney (I know, don't laugh) you could see what seemed like every star in the sky. I could stand for what seemed like an hour and simply stand in awe and at just how magnificent our God really is. It is at a moment like that where you can feel so small, so insignificant, and yet, at the same time, as small as you feel, know that you still matter that much to God. An amazing feeling.
10) There are a lot of things I could have put in this tenth spot...like I said, my list could probably go on for a while. The thing that gets me is how many things on this list I took for granted before. I'd love to hear from ya'll (see, I still say it) what things you would miss the most if you had to leave your current life. Maybe by thinking about it, it will keep you from taking it for granted as well. Just leave it as a comment... I'd love to read it!!
Josh and I have moved so much that I'm used to having to adjust. But...I do love living in Signal Mountain. I think I'd miss all the trees and the small town community feel. I love how safe it is here and how walking in the neighborhoods in the evening is like something out of a movie with all the people out and waving at you. I do know that with the different towns we've lived in and number of times we've moved (4), it was all easier because I had Josh with me. You'll find that this is going to be a great adventure and you'll grow even closer to one another through it.
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