HOPE COLLEGE HOMECOMING!

I woke up at 5am to drive to Holland, MI with my friend Taylor so that we would arrive in time for chapel. I've missed sitting in those wooden pews with the black and white tile floor. I love the morning light coming in through the stained glass windows. We sit in rows of SIBs and hold hands when we pray. I got so excited as everyone arrived and I kept climbing over pews to hug old friends.

I met Taylor and Susan in Carmel YL last year. Now Susan is a Flying Dutchmen at Hope and is loving this new life. Taylor surprised her and got to spend the weekend hanging out.

Favorite Holland Things Checklist:

chapel in Dimnent

Hope College bookstore

seeing Dean Frost, Ellen Awad, and Wilma in Dewitt

visiting a Professor and leaving a note for another one

cards from Moynihan gallery

walking 8th street stores with Haley

sitting in JPs talking

lunch at Good Earth

dinner with my old YL girl Lindsey

Kletz lunch - #5

breakfast with SIBs

dinner at the Brewery (yes, there is a food trend here)

climbing a tree in the Pine Grove

hanging out in the SIB cottage

talking school with Allison and hearing her laugh

late night talks with Krissy
breakfast from Big Apple Bagel
church at Mars Hill with Haley

Saturday afternoon Taylor and I went to Lake Michigan to walk out on the pier. Our hair was whipping in the wind and it was the perfect Fall temperature weather where a sweatshirt is just enough. We swung and talked for two hours. I love Taylor's perspective, patience and dreams.

It's interesting to go back to a place that was my home for four years. In some ways, the people and the place haven't changed at all. Parts of it I can just count on and I know what to expect. In other ways the places and the people have changed- I guess that's always going to be true in life. Sometimes we welcome that change, sometimes it's harder to accept and sometimes you're the one who has changed.
I'm thankful for this trip back to Holland- for the parts I expected and for the surprises.