10 Things I Shall Miss about Home (in no particular order):

  1. My Bed — My bed is amazingly comfortable. Most of the time, I can fall asleep immediately in the foam mattress and soft feather blankets. My bed has served as a place to read my humane letters homework (even though I know I’m not supposed to do that…), a place to have pillow talk with my mom and all four sisters (it’s a big bed), a place to cry, a place to laugh, a place to write, a place to pray, and a place to dream.
  2. My Car — I have loved the freedom to go where I need to go when I need to go there. If I feel like a Jamba Juice, I can go get in my car and drive there. If I want to go to the movies, I can go.
  3. Ceiling Fans — Yes, it seems strange, but ceiling fans are my favorite things about Arizona homes. I fall asleep much faster when a ceiling fan is blowing. I like being cold so I can snuggle in the covers. (Yes, I just used the word snuggle.) I also like the sound of a ceiling fan; it’s quite soothing. A regular old fan cannot replace a ceiling fan. It’s just not the same.
  4. Our Grand Piano — For the piano players out there, you know there’s nothing like playing your own piano. It’s the piano you have practiced hours on end on, perfecting each and every detail. The touch to one’s own piano is very unique, and I shall miss my piano. I love it’s touch, it’s sound, the pedals, and its grandeur. And even though I don’t say I shall miss Mark’s constant pounding away at “Danzas Argentinas,” I know I will. Luckily, there’s many a piano at BYU, just not mine.
  5. Chandler Prep — Well, this one’s a given. I will miss (almost) everything about Chandler Prep: My senior class that became a family, cheering at Titan games, the senior lunch room shenanigans, my Greek class and the many “discussions” we had, Dr. Cates’ amazing ability to make everything make sense, the humane letters discussions, our Drama performances, and the dear friends I have made and learned so much from. Chandler Prep is forever a part of who I am; the insights and knowledge I gained there have and always will shape my thoughts, ideas, and actions.
  6. Arizona Winters — Arizona winters are basically, without question, perfect. Although I’m very excited to actually have seasons in Utah, I will miss Arizona’s perfect winters.
  7. Camping and Hiking — We seem to be really into camping and hiking lately. We always seem to get lost, and I’m usually the last one to finish. I’ve even had some near death experiences. But, I will miss these hikes.
  8. Sunday Dinner — My family of nine has dramatic Sunday dinners. Anna always wants to talk and whenever she feels like we aren’t listening she yells out: “Listen to me! Listen to me!” We always have the most random conversations, about what we learned at church that day, ways we can keep the house more tidy, politics, the Dodgers, and random stories about random people. We’ll talk about how many teeth Anna has lost, Ben’s sports stats updates, Harrison’s latest crazy stunt he has planned, Mary’s youtube video impersonations, Sarah’s schedule for the week, Mark’s worries for Math class, and the book I am reading. All in one dinner. Yes, I will miss these dinners very much.
  9. My Father’s sense of “humor” — How do you kill a purple elephant? You shoot it with a purple elephant gun. How do you kill a green elephant? You shoot it with a green elephant gun. How do you kill a red elephant? You shoot it with a red elephant gun. How do you kill a white elephant? You shoot it with a white elephant gun? Wrong. You paint it purple and shoot it with a purple elephant gun. Ha. Ha. Ha. My dad is funny because he laughs at his own jokes. My dad is funny because he thinks he is funny.
  10. My Family — Yes, I will miss them most of all. All week Anna has been coming up with reasons why I shouldn’t go to college. My mom will suddenly cry out how different it will be when I am gone. Maybe it hasn’t hit me yet, or I just don’t want to believe it. But this aspect, I do not want to change. I will miss the constant noise. And although sometimes I just want to escape it, the noise is comforting. The constant chatter, laughing, yelling, sink running, timer going off for the cookies in the oven, Mary’s singing in the shower, Ben and Harrison wrestling, Zoe’s barking, Anna’s screeching, the vacuum, and the piano. And the silence on a Sunday afternoon while people are napping, even that has a noise to it. I will miss my mom’s continuous questioning – an expression of her love and care. Mark’s contagious laugh, and Sarah’s crafts spread out all over the table. And even though I keep reassuring my family I will be back for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I know things are changing. I won’t be here when Mary goes to her Junior Prom, or when Harrison plays a football game. But I will always be their oldest sister, who loves them and prays for them every day. I will always be a part of 9Strong.
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