Michigan Summers

The school year here has wound down.  I do look forward to my summers, and enjoy the time it gives me to recharge, and travel a little bit.  Because of my summer vacation I can say I give my job 120% during the school year.  I know a little vacation will be around the corner.  This year though it will seem like a super small vacation, as we start school July 30th.  Dang that sounds right around the corner.

I don't know what got me thinking about my summers growing up in Michigan.  There are some aspects about MI that I miss, and can't have here.  Of course my family is all back in MI, and I miss my sister like crazy.  I have many friends that still live up there.  A good majority of Jacob's family is in Michigan, so when we think/talk about Michigan a lot of our memories are brought up because of our families.

But on my drive to work yesterday I was overcome with this desire to drive to water.  Living in Atlanta, is a dream, and Jacob and I love many aspects of it..  But if we were to be honest we miss the water.  Living 10 minutes away from at least 3 different beaches was the way to grow up.  I can't say I went there everyday, but we did go a lot.  I guess it is one of those things where you don't know how good it is until it is gone.  I miss going out on the boat, jet skiing, and picnics in the sand.  Anywhere you are in MI you are less than 90 minutes away from water.  So even when I went off to college I was only an hour drive from putting my feet in the sand.

This got me thinking about Pat, and my hope that Pat will be able to experience those summers.  Of course if our family stays there, which looks more and more likely, we will always have excuses to go up during the summer.  But Jacob and I miss the water too.  I think that is why we might have the bug to start branching out again.  We have talked in depth about Florida, and go often, but the desire to get up and move has really been striking me hard this week.

Now I don't want anyone thinking we will pack up and move tomorrow.... Jacob has just started his career, and I have signed my contact for next year.  We have our house, and the market wouldn't be much help to us there.  Oh, and we won't be going North.  I know some family and friends will read this and think...they are considering moving back.  As much as we miss the people, my health has made a drastic turn to the better, because we made the drastic change of location.  But the idea of moving....

I know some of this yearning is because I am going back home in a week, and will get to experience West Michigan for a week in June.  I know I will be able to go to the lake and do all the summer events that I have in the past.  But Jacob isn't coming with me, and I will have to leave it eventually.  So it won't exactly be the same.

I also know that my desire to make sure Pat has some fabulous memories like I do is on the forefront of my mind.  It is crazy how once this identity starts growing inside of you, all decisions that are made about life are filtered through the "what-is-best-for-Pat" filter. 

It is rare I am actually "home sick" but I am glad I am getting my MI fix soon, as my desire to be on a shore somewhere is taking over my thoughts. 

Big Red Lighthouse at Holland State Park