My visit home was terrific! :) I couldn't have asked for a better time!! First highlight was making it home for my mom's Birthday - I got into Louisville at about 9pm - no delays, problems with flights, or missing luggage Success! And was greeted by my Aunt Cara (who so kindly took care of Sadie all year), her 2 daughters/my cousins, Megan and Ashley, my Grammy, my Mom and her fiance Glen! :) After 20+ hours of traveling it was nice to see so many familiar faces! :) Also, my brother who is in the Air Force was able to get leave at the same time. He was there to celebrate to! My first stateside meal was Bearno's Pizza, which is a family favorite, and a Dairy Queen Birthday cake - yum! :) Couldn't have asked for a better first night back with family!
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| Happy Birthday Mom! :) Love you so much! |
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I'd love to describe my visit home in detail, but it was such a whirlwind that it'd take forever! :) So I'll show you some of the highlights with pictures.
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| Family Kayaking :) |
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| I was lucky to have a strong Air Force guy on my kayak | |
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| Coach Wayne and Coach Rob :) |
I am the woman I am today because of the amazing friends and family I have around me. When I was in elementary school, I was extremely blessed to become friends with Kathryn (I'm in the green dress below and she's on my right). Ms. Emily (her mom) and Mr. Wayne are beside her, and my dad is on the left of me in the red shirt. Kathryn and I played on the same teams every year in Kiwanis Softball and Basketball. Our dads always coached together! :) I've been on family vacations with them - Knoxville, Gatlinburg, even as far as Cancun Mexico - that vacation because I was under 13 they even legally adopted me for the week! I was blessed with not just one family, but 2, as Kathryn and are usually mistaken for sisters, and Mr. Wayne and Ms. Emily have been like a second set of parents to me! :) I'm so grateful for their family's friendship over the years, and know there are many more years to come!
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| Family Reunion: Arnold's and Smits' style |
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| Murfreesboro, Love - Our friend, Andrew Hoover, ended up being our server that night at BLUE |
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| Most amazing father a girl could ask for! :) So thankful for him! |
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| Dani and I got our fried dill pickle chips on at Toot's! Love this girl! |
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| A little American pamperin' - cut and color, yes please! |
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| Uncle Frank and Co. @ the Buganut Pig in Murfreesboro (think Cheers style bar) |
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| Kelleigh and I! :) love her! |
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| and now she's a Mommy to this cute little one, Brody! :) |
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| Kathryn and I at Olive Garden - yumm All you can eat soup and salad! |
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| Kayla, Me, and Kathryn after Sweet CeCe's Yogurt - so lucky to have these girls in my life! |
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| Anam Cara :) friends since freshman year in high school! |
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| Fun day at the Lake! :) Tonic came too! |
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| 3 generations : Me, my mom, Aunt Cara, and Grammy |
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| Macey, Kathryn, Me, Dawn, and Tonic :) |
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| Smits Family :) Macy, Trish, Dad, Jonathan, me, and Tonic |
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| Tonic was in the US studying for her BAR, she came to TN and KY - knew we'd meet up again somewhere in the world :) |
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Usually my blog is about Korea, but here's a little glimpse into my corner of the world, all over parts of the beautiful states of Kentucky and Tennessee and all the special people I have in my life. Without them, I would have never ventured to Korea! :) There are many other people I saw when I was home that I didn't think to snap a photo of - my Mamaw, Jim, Diane, Martha, Gary, and of course my Grandmother B! :) How many 26 year olds still get to visit their Great-Grandmother? And a few people who lived a little too far away for me to visit :( especially the newlywed Jackie Lopez! and Parisa - love you ladies! and miss you! I wish we'd gotten a chance to see each other!
Thank you to everyone back home for such a great visit! :) I'm sad to leave because it's hard to think it'll be another year until I see everyone, but also happy to return to Korea...
Back to Kimchi land...until Next time America! :)
xoxo Emily
