Missing Out

As I've mentioned before, I've recently moved out of my mom's place and moved into mine and Kris' first apartment. We moved 1,400 miles and several states away. In doing so, I feel like I've gained a lot of independence and it's refreshing to know that my life is now officially all mine.

However, sometimes being this far away makes me feel sad and disconnected. My little sister just got her driver's license. My dad moved into a new place. My mom got a new dog. While all of these things may seem little and inconsequential, they're significant because they're happening without me. I didn't get to see any of it. I only get to hear about it on the phone or see photos on Facebook. Don't get me wrong, those definitely help but I have no family up here. So it makes me feel like I'm on some other planet. I can't just drive to my mom or dad's house and spend time with my family. 

It shows me how important family is and how important it is to stay in touch with them. I call my family at least twice a week and I make sure that I keep them up to date on everything that's going on in my life. It's not nearly as much as I'd like to do but it's all that I can do. The Skype connection out here is terrible and the few conversations that we've tried have all failed miserably. So we keep it to the phones.

I can't wait to go back home and visit my family. I've been looking forward to it for months and I wish that I could've gotten home sooner. But it will happen in time. And I do know that when I see them again, it will be a tear-filled reunion. So if you are lucky enough to be around your family every day, appreciate them. Tell them you love them. Hug them. Let them know just how important they are because when you do finally leave the nest, you'll miss them more than you ever thought possible. 

-Chelsea