Homecoming

Its been the one thing I've been counting down to for months...PC Homecoming!!  The first day I could request time off at Disney, I put in for PC's Homecoming weekend knowing that I couldn't miss my first Homecoming as an Alum!  Not to mention this would be my first opportunity to see most of my friends since June/July!!  I decided to make the most out of the weekend and make it last as long as possible!  I always have Monday's and Wednesday's off and got approved for Friday-Saturday off as well.  All I had to do was give away my Thursday shift and I magically had a 6-day mini vacation to South Carolina lined up!  Wednesday I drove home stopping at the first Bojangles I could find!  (Sorry I'm not sorry...)  It had been over two months without Bojangles and that's just something I never want to happen again hah!  I made it home in 7 hours which was great timing considering I stopped twice!  Wednesday night was spent at home with my sweet parents.  Thursday I went out to lunch at DiPrato's with my mom, one of our most favorite lunch date spots!  Then I made my favorite stops around Irmo knowing it would be a while before making it back!  While I've learned my way around Lake Buena Vista/Orlando in my almost three months here, its always nice to go home and know exactly where everything is and not have to worry about silly toll roads getting in your way!  

Seriously, home has never looked so good!  Especially with the leaves in the yard and the fall air!!

I headed up to PC Thursday afternoon to make it in time for Zumba with Lucia!!!!!  I walked in Springs and had people running up to me from all different directions.  Seriously the best feeling ever having people so excited to see me!  It was a night of hugs and a full heart!  I made some stops around campus to my favorite people just getting to catch up on life!

My favorite people still at the Presby!

Friday came and brought Anna with it!  We went to one of our favorite lunch spots in Clinton, Jitter's for a lunch with sweet friends!!  Finally got to see Abby too and catch up on all the adventures life has brought us since this semester started!  I couldn't be more proud of my besties and the work they're doing these days!  We saw even more people at lunch and I got lots of "Wait, you're not supposed to be here!"  Such a good feeling being back in a community that loves and cares about me so much!

Jitter's!!!

This is seriously my fave sandwich...and one of the things I crave when thinking about South Carolina food!

After lunch, Anna, Abby, and I headed over to see Mani and Grace's house!  Seriously still mind boggling they're busy being married adults and I'm just playing at Disney World most days!  But it was awesome seeing their humble abode.  We made stops at the bookstore (to stock up on Alumni stuff, duh!), picked up our official Homecoming Weekend packets (hah!) and Bi-Lo for tailgating food!

Getting so official!  And I got a free koozie and a nametag I never put on!

After a busy afternoon in Clinton, it was time to head towards Greenville...TO GET MY TATTOO!!!!!!!!  Can't even tell you how excited I was!  I'm not usually someone to get nervous so my excitement was pretty huge!  Altogether, we were probably in the tattoo parlor for 30 minutes.  We walked in, met Jamie (the tattoo artist), showed him what I wanted, he drew it out, shrunk it down, fixed it up, and we got to work!  I had 7 of my sweet friends there to cheer me on and I think most of them were more nervous than I was!  Lucia was holding my hand and squeezing my hand!  She kept reminding me that I could squeeze hers...but I didn't see a need haha!  There were times that were unpleasant like at the bottom of the tattoo where my nerves are in my foot but the top half was fine, no pain!  Also my friends didn't believe I had a high pain tolerance...I don't know what it will take to make people believe me when I say that?!

Jamie getting my ankle prepped

The "unpleasant" look

So in case you don't know...which apparently a lot of people don't...I've literally always wanted a tattoo!  I don't remember a time not wanting a tattoo, it was just a matter of figuring out what I wanted and where I wanted it so I could still get a job!  After my ankle struggles last year, I had decided this was what I would get and I knew my right ankle was the perfect location seeing as that was my ankle with all the problems for half of 2012!  I decided on the tattoo in the summer and my sweet grandlittle Jamie told me I needed to be settled on the tattoo for a year before getting it, and it'd been over a year and I figured I needed to bite the bullet and do it!  Homecoming weekend couldn't have been a more perfect time!  So what is it?  Well its an anchor with a heart on top and this comes from my favorite Bible verse:

"There are three things that last forever:  faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love."  

1 Corinthians 13:13

The faith is represented by the cross in the anchor, the hope is the anchor itself  (Hebrews 6:19 says "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."), and the love is represented by the heart on top of the anchor and its on the top because its the most important!!!  This is my absolute favorite Bible verse and I can't think of anything better!  I'm still so obsessed with it!!  Can't stop looking down at my ankle for this constant reminder!

Thanks Jamie!!!

After leaving Ink Works, we headed to dinner in Greenville before heading back to the Presby for the night!

Before going out with my bestiessss

Only my fave roommate in the world

While at the houses, I saw Lauren Park aka Lo from my first summer at Lake J!  She's best friends with a bunch of ADPi's and came up for Homecoming with them!  It was so fun watching two worlds collide and so fun getting to see an old friend!

Chidapi til we die!

Saturday it was time for the game!!!  It was kind of depressing knowing this was my ONLY football game of the season!  I don't remember the last time I've only been to ONE football game in a year...maybe some time in middle school?!  Yikes!  Well before the game, my friends and I had our first tailgate planned all by ourselves!  Usually we have parents at the games who will plan everything but this was our first time as alum!!  

As I was getting everything set up, guess who I saw?!  SARAHHHHHHH!  MY SISTERRRRR!!!!  My friends surprised me and they got me good.  I had figured I just wouldn't get to see Sarah on this trip home since she had a busy weekend and I wouldn't be driving past Greenville, but she surprised me!!!  Keep in mind, I've only been surprised ONCE before this and this just rocked!  I was in tears as I hugged my sister and can't even express how thankful I am for such a loving sister in my life!

Mimosasssss at the tailgate

Before the game, I knew Maggie and Lucia were in Top 5 and figured they would place Runner-Up and Homecoming Queen between the two of them so I made sure to get my picture with them both before everyone else in the world would!  So thankful for my favorite seniors!!!

My Queens

With precious Grace...who needs to stop growing up ASAP!  But loved getting to spend the day with the Carson's!

And the Homecoming Queen is.....Maggie Carson!!!!!

And my favorite Runner-Up is...Lucia Leahy!!!

After the game, we all went to Senor Garcia's...only my favorite Mexican food in Clinton!  Sarah had to leave after dinner but we snapped an Irmo picture before she left...of course!

Pinkies up!!

Can't leave without a cat picture. 4 generations of cats!
#catraining

Saturday night was fun...especially seeing all the old people at the houses for Homecoming!  Now that I'm one of those old people, its super weird!  It was extra weird walking around and seeing so many people I didn't know.  At PC, you know everyone so seeing freshmen who had no idea who I was was a weird feeling.  

Sunday morning I said goodbye to Clinton with breakfast at Bojangles and then I was Irmo bound yet again.  As much fun as I had this weekend, the goodbyes just make everything more complicated.  Starting on Saturday, I started getting really sad about having to say goodbyes to all my favorite people.  Its one of those times that's very hard for me to live in the moment because I know that goodbye will be here sooner than I know it!  I only wish my time at PC could have been longer but it's always good to know I will feel like home in Clinton!  

I swear the skies are bluer and life is sweeter here!

I drove back home, down that strip of I-26 I know so well, to surprise Aunt Laura (and see the rest of my family)!!!!  My mom made chili, our usual Halloween tradition, and got to see my favorite people.  We spent the afternoon out running errands, ending with a stop at Starbucks!  Again, the sadness was sinking in of saying my goodbyes but I tried and tried to stay positive!

It's funny (or not) because when I left in August, I didn't shed much of any tears at all in my goodbyes!  I was excited more than anything and couldn't have gotten out of Irmo sooner!  Now that I have to think about not seeing any of my family for almost two months, things get a little more difficult!  I don't get to come home for Thanksgiving and my family will be in Orlando December 21.  I'm trying to remind myself this will be the only Thanksgiving and Christmas that I'm away from my family, but it doesn't make the sadness go away.  It will be 2014 before I'm back in Irmo and with my family again!

  I learned some important lessons this weekend in catching up with people...

1.  Lots of people keep up with my Disney adventures which I totally love!  People continually referenced my pictures, statuses, snapchats, and blog which totally rocks!

2.  I'm really good at making my experience seem really awesome and wonderful!  Don't get me wrong, my time at Disney is a great experience but no where close to perfect.  There are hard days and I don't love what I'm doing every day.  Before leaving for home, almost every day had been a pretty bad day so staying positive was a little difficult throughout the weekend!

3.  I long for the community I left at PC!  I don't know if there will ever come a day where I get to feel that sense of community I felt as a student at PC.  Its something that really can't be matched.  I know forever and ever, I'll try to create a community that can live up to my days at PC, but those are some pretty big shoes to fill!


I couldn't be more thankful for my time at home and I look forward to seeing my friends and family again!  I'm daily trying to live in the moment and appreciate this experience!  While every day isn't magical, I have to remember this is a job and its at the Happiest Place on Earth!!!  Forever and ever I get to say that I worked at Disney World and I never want to look back and regret how I spent my time here.  If you would, keep me in your prayers for a positive attitude and a thankful heart during my last two months as a colonial woman and I just need continual guidance as to what to do after January 3!  Thanks for following my adventures!! :)