today was the epitome of a beautiful New England day. I can't get over it how gorgeous it's been. It's always like this after a storm; the day after the skies clear up (but not too much-big fluffy clouds dot the sky) and the sun comes out and there is this slight breeze that keeps the bugs away and the temperature absolutely perfect (high 70's). It's days like these when I fall in love all over again with NH and I realize how much I sometimes take this beautiful area of the country that I call home for granted. New England sets my soul on fire and my heart will always belong to the East coast.
Today has been excellent. I woke up to the sound of the ocean and the cool seabreeze wafting through the window in my room at the beach house. I took a moment to sit on the back deck and watch the ocean roll over itself before I said goodbye to the Atlantic for another year. Guv drove me back inland to Hampstead.
My house is hectic these days-the Hayes' are staying with us for the weekend while their parents are in Florida, and Leah, Dallin and Meredith were over as well. My mom (being the seminary teacher and super likable by all the kids) has pretty much become the second mother to half the youth in our church. I have at least four adopted sisters and three adopted brothers (all good friends of my real siblings) who are all so much fun and down to earth and over all of the time. It's a mad house sometimes, but it's always fun. It's home.
Today, everyone came over to go to Pinkerton's first football game of the season. Jake, Cass and Kate were all marching in the first half-time show of the season as well. We all piled in cars and drove up to my old stomping grounds (it's been a while since I set my feet on that football field). Going back there was almost like running into an old friend. (Even more so once I met up with Gage). That football field is the only place on campus where I felt like I belonged during countless days and evenings of band rehersal. Pinkerton takes their football (and their marching band) seriously and the atmosphere is so infectious and exciting. It was weird watching my old marching band march into the stadium and seeing my baby sister playing with them instead of being in the formation myself, but exciting to hear them play all of the music I can still play by memory. Their half time show was pretty stinking good too! I also got to say hello to "the Man", Mr. Adams, which was hysterical and great all in one. Ever since I graduated and went off to Idaho, our reunions always go along the same couple lines. Today was no different:
Mr. Adams: "WHITLESS!"
Me: "I'm NOT whitless!"
Mr. Adams: "Let me see your hands."
(Holding up my left hand) "Don't even worry, BYU-I Do hasn't gotten me yet."
Mr. Adams: "Thatta girl." and then his typical chuckle and awkward pat on the back.
Watching the game with my extended, adopted family made everything so much fun! Ashley, Meredith and Leah don't understand a thing about football so they were constantly making things up and asking silly questions, Alex was on a sugar rush from too many freeze pops, and Gage and I couldn't stop singing our old parts along with the band.
Alex: "It's not that wobbly, so it can't be that damaged."
Alex: "OH MY GOSH IF THEY GET A TOUCH DOWN, I WILL...I WILL...POOP ON THEM!"
Me: "That's kind of an empty threat...I mean that's a whole lot of poop...are you even capable of producing that much?"
Alex:"...maybe not...everyone's gonna need to poop to get the job done!"
Ashley: "Oh look, we got a field goal."
Dallin: "Actually...we got a touchdown...about ten minutes ago..."
Me: (ten minutes after a player was taken off the field because of an injury): "Oh! St. Onge got injured...that's bad news bears."
Gage: "It's bad news bears if anyone on our team got injured..."
Mom: (score was 42 to 13 in our favor) "We should just give Timberlane a break...put in our second string...OH WAIT, OUR SECOND STRING IS PLAYING! HAHAHAHAHA!"
Alex: "Once, Chelsie Whitney was the only person left in the world!"
Me: "Then what happened?"
Alex: "ummm...Darth Vadar appeared and you cut off Dallin's giant head and made a pumpkin lantern!"
Me: "is this real life?"
Alex: "What?"
Me: "How did you get here?"
Alex: "YOUR MOM!"
Me: "IN BED!"
Alex: "...yeah, i can't argue with that."
After the game (in which we pummeled Timberlane into the GROUND!) the kids went off to their jobs and the movies and Mom and I got to spend some time together running errands and eating out favorite treats. I love my mom. She really is one of the most compassionate, caring people I have ever met and I am constantly am inspired by the things she does for other people.
And now I'm home with half of the adopted family back over for a hearty homemade meal made by mom and some fun plans for the evening. Tomorrow looks like it's going to be another BEAUTIFUL day and Monday will be filled with good cook out food and family.
And then it's back to Idaho on Tuesday. I've been looking forward to going back all break, but all of a sudden, I'm not as eager to go. Leaving home is always tough, but after a day like today, it'll be hard to say goodbye.
I'm all grown up though and that's a fact I am continuously facing more and more each day. It's scary and sometimes I want to yell: WAIT A MINUTE! I'M NOT READY TO BE THIS OLD OR THIS GROWN UP! but hey. this is life. And I am ready for whatever this semester has in store for me (or at least I'd like to think so). But we'll see.
Just keep moving along.
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