Home is where the heart is (and my heart is all over the place!)

Everyone warned me that life in Bethel is really slow. They were all wrong. I have no idea how I have already reached Thanksgiving. I feel like one of those moms that look at their kids and say, “geeze, it feels like just yesterday that you were in diapers.” (While their kid, all dressed up in her college graduation gown just rolls her eyes) But recently, there has been a lot going on. I went home last weekend. I know I said that I wasn’t going to go home until January, but I guess I am a big ole’ liar. I found out that I didn’t have to work on Friday and my grandparents were flying in Thursday night and things just kind of fell into place. My mom booked a ticket the weekend before and then Thursday night, I hopped on the last plane out and headed home. The trip home was rather uneventful, I got about 2 hours of sleep the entire night and arrived at SeaTac airport at 5 am. (I left at 8:40 the night before). Then, my weekend of crazy busy-ness began. Mom and I stopped at Starbucks, where I reveled in the many beverage options, the hot weather (45 degrees!) and the whole civilization thing. Then we headed to my grandparent’s condo where we woke them up. I forgot that I was still wearing my sweatshirt hood when I walked into their bedroom, so it is no wonder they thought I was an axe murderer, but once that was all straightened out, I began narrating all of the pictures I had taken while I had a working camera.
After a while with the g-rents, I went and said hi to my dad and then my house, sighed fondly at my bed, knowing that it would be a while before I could actually lay down and sleep and then headed out to lunch with the family. (SUSHI!!!! Yum yum yum!). After that, I went home and hung out for a while before taking the bus into Seattle to meet up with a bunch of friends. First of all, I love taking the bus. I have no idea why, but I really enjoy it. It is a great people watching time and a great reflection time. As you might imagine, getting some quality alone time in Bethel is not always easy, but that was always one thing that I loved about the Seattle bus system. Once I got into downtown Seattle and ogled all the tall buildings, the trillion people and the fact that I still wasn’t wearing long underwear, I started walking up to Capitol Hill. That lasted about 30 seconds until I was seduced into the Columbia outerwear store, just to check out their cold weather gear. I seriously could have dropped 500 dollars there, easily. They had super cute clothes, crazy intense gloves and a really cute hat. Then, I had to stop and reevaluate myself for a moment. Who is this girl that is getting pumped about winter gear? Seriously, there must have been a brain swap in my body. I hated coats in Seattle and now I am actively seeking them out?!?! With that, I booked it out of the store and started my trek up the hill. It definitely took me longer than usual because I was so engrossed in soaking up this incredible place that I have called home for years. It felt so right to be walking the streets of Seattle, smiling at strangers, looking into store windows all while slightly sweating up the steep incline. Once I got to the top and met up with a bunch of friends, the wonder continued. I was so happy to see everyone that came to hang out, I was so thrilled to be drinking Elysian Pumpkin Ale and I didn’t want the night to end. One night to catch up with 15 people I love is not at all sufficient. After being out for a few hours, I went home to Shelsea’s apartment, just as my sleep deprivation was starting to catch up with me. Apparently, I was genuinely trying to have a conversation with her, but I would basically fall asleep in the middle of a sentence, but instead of stopping talking, I would continue to ramble, about nothing, until I woke up again and tried to continue our conversation. I’m sure it wasn’t pretty.
The next morning I woke up and took another of my beloved Metro transit system buses home. As soon as I got home, I went and picked up Bema (grandmother ☺) for a day of shopping and fun. We were out for a few hours before we went back home to get ready for Thanksgiving dinner (one weekend early). The rest of the evening was relaxed and fun, filled with strangers and family. It is a Bruton family tradition to take in random people on the holidays and this year the lucky ones were some of Erica’s friends. The next day, I woke up, went to Mass with Mom, Bema and Bampie, then had breakfast and boarded another plane to head back to Bethel.
Like I said, short trip. I was really worried that I was going to go home and realize that all I wanted was to be back in Seattle for good, but I was pleasantly surprised. I have no idea how this could possibly work but I am ridiculously happy/miserable in both places. I guess I just mean that there at things about living in Seattle that make me feel complete and at home as well as things that drive me nuts. In Bethel, I often find myself completely in love with this insane place and at other times, I can’t help but wish I had chosen a more “normal” place for a year of service. Somehow, in this crazy head of mine, I can be just as happy in an urban metropolis as I am in a rural itty-bitty town.
One of the reasons that I am so happy in Bethel has got to be the people. For Thanksgiving, my community made a delicious brunch of muffins, eggs, sautéed veggies, and guess what?!?! Salmon. Haha. It was delicious. Once brunch was finished, PJ and I went and played a little Thanksgiving football in the cold weather. I did lots of jumping jacks to keep warm but it was a lot of fun. Then for dinner, I went over to the Keljkas. But, before I ate, I made sure to earn my keep by helping the boys unharness the dog team. I’m still kind of useless without direction, “uh… where does this dog go? So… if this hook is stuck, is it because I am a wimp or because it is just screwed up?” (Answer: You are a wimp AND it is screwed up.) I haven’t spent a ton of time with the Keljka’s recently, but every time I do, I definitely learn a lot. So anyway, delicious dinner. Then after dinner, Joe, Ariel and I went to a gathering of a bunch of the twenty-somethings that we hang out with to eat even more delicious food.
So basically, I have a lot to be thankful for. I am thankful for an incredibly supportive family, all of my friends, in Seattle, in Bethel, in Spokane, in Baltimore, in Philadelphia… everywhere. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to explore more fully the person I want to be and the people with whom I want to be surrounded. I am also very thankful for all of you that read my blogs, writing them is often some of the best reflection on my experience here that I do.

Love you and miss you all,
Jill