Missing Home

Apparently, Christmas is a REALLY, REALLY huge celebration in the Philippines. They start celebrating early in September & continue on through December. Part of this celebration includes fireworks on most evenings. There are fireworks somewhere out near the bay at random times each evening. At first, we concluded they would occur sometime around 7:30 each evening. Then, they started shooting some around 9:30, also. Now, we have no clue as to when the fireworks will start sounding off! We just listen for the loud, popping sounds & then we each run to a different window to locate the show. Typically, we see them near the water. And, they are always beautiful! They really have a spectacular show here! It's just much shorter than the big shows I'm used to watching in Texas. However, I guess when you put on a fireworks display every evening for 4 months, a 5 minute show is sufficient.

This evening, I heard the sounds again at 11:30 pm. I got up to watch the fireworks & again saw the beautiful, huge displays fill the night sky over the water. Now, I absolutely LOVE fireworks! Always have! So, I will never get tired of watching these nightly shows. However, tonight's display brought back a flood of memories from this past Fourth of July in Texas. It was our last week at home before flying out to the Philippines. Sam's mom, dad & brother were visiting. Instead of heading out to a local show in the area (there are dozens to choose from!), we decided to stick close to home & take our chances on seeing fireworks from our upstairs windows. That was the best decision we made that night! We laid out on our trampoline & watched fireworks pop overhead. (While also slapping mosquitoes off our skin!) We ran upstairs & watched fireworks from a bathroom window. We sprinted to the boys' room & watched numerous firework shows visible from their three windows. And, we watched another colorful display from the window in our guest bedroom. (Or, our UT room, as we liked to call it! If you'd seen it, you would understand!) The kids & I (and sometimes another adult, if we could coax them away from the food!) went from room to room to backyard & back watching each display with amazement. (I think my kids love fireworks just as much as I do... thank goodness!) We had a wonderful time!

So, all of a sudden, watching this display tonight from my window on the 25th floor made me terribly homesick for our life back in Texas. This is one of the first times I have felt this way since moving here. I have definitely missed family & friends back home. I have longed for the familiarity of Dallas. I have wished to be in a place where my kids & I don't stick out like a sore thumb. But, I have never felt the very strong desire & urge to return home like I do tonight. I am missing it!

So, right now, I am going to cross my fingers, click my heels & chant, "There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home..." And, pray that I feel "at home" soon!