Home, sweet home.

Saturday, May 24 marked the culmination of our recycling efforts in the Blue & Goldmine Sale and fundraiser for United Way. Following three weeks of sorting, stacking, sorting, and sorting some more, we opened the sale to the public and madness ensued. Our project sponsor said this was the most successful year so far-- both in funds raised and donations collected & kept out of the landfill (~35 tons!). I flew home the following morning.

Circling over Salt Lake City, my heart beat faster and I gnawed at my fingernails. The anticipation of a homecoming is nerve wracking and the moment I saw snow-capped mountains I was filled with joy. Home!

My week home began with a special someone picking me up from the airport and taking me home to enjoy Sunday dinner with my family. Overwhelming is the only way to describe Sunday. I was unsure how interaction would be with the romantic interest I left behind (it was fine), my mom invited her entire side of the family (surprise!) over for dinner, my grandma hosted a dessert reunion with my dad's side, and after wrapping up the most awkward situations of the week, I drove to Logan for some simple time with friends.

Highlights include:

• Sunday dinner
• Early morning breakfast at Angie's
• The canyon. Bear Lake, fog, friends.
• Freedom
• Conversations about farming with my father.
• Conversations about religion, love & life with friends.
• Holding my new nephew in my arms
• Laughing and crying with my old roomie Amanda over past relationships
• Sex and the City premier
• Sleeping in Brit's bed at the home I left behind
  
• Bike ride with my youngest brother to/from school
• Reunions with the people I care about
  

Despite being nervous to see people & experience changed relationships, this visit has been a success with only one pitfall-- I don't want to leave. A few of my AmeriCorps friends jokingly asked if I would be coming back to finish my job or would abandon my post to stay home-- I don't like leaving tasks unfinished so I will be going back, but it's not with a full heart that I return to West Virginia. I hoped and hoped that my visit home would leave an off taste in my mouth so leaving would be easier but that's not the case. Utah is just the way I remembered it; my family, friends, and surroundings are all what I love.

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I waited to post this entry and my feelings have changed since being back in WV. Our new work with Friends of Decker's Creek has been very enjoyable!

• Monday: bug sampling from Decker's Creek, chironomids, a moss covered rock chute in the creek used as an all natural water slide & great fun.
• Tuesday: water sampling from the creek, breaching my waders, and swimming at our favorite spot in the gorge again.
• Wednesday: trail rehab at Cooper's rock, pouring rain, and another wet van ride.

Making up for lost time has been my motto and enjoying the work has been a high priority. These 3 days of work have lifted me to a new emotional high for my time in Morgantown. I love my roommate/teammate -- we have silly conversations into the wee hours of the morning-- and it's going to be really hard to leave her. I bought a jar of nutella and a few bananas for a sweet pick-me-up.

Oh, an old friend worked on my laptop for me and after a few days of annoying work he finally got it up and running again. Apparently whatever hacked into my system created a bunch of different user accounts and he had a hard time finding my files-- but he did! I'm so happy to have a computer for my free use again. I've been gathering my photos and organizing them, be sure to check my online photo account sometime in the next few days. I promise to have a bunch of new photos up for you all to see!


*I can't get southern Utah out of my head. I'm going exploring down south when I get back home... red rocks and desert landscape.

More to come soon... we live in dorms in town now, with internet connection.