arriving home for thanksgiving

anyone who has known me or had read this blog during the summer knows that being separated from my family has been the hardest part of my adjustment to college. sure, the classes have been a bit of a challenge. getting to know my dorm mate has been a concern. adjusting to overall life on my own has been interesting.

but nothing has been more difficult than being apart from my parents, my younger brothers and those three individually incredible girls i am privileged to call my sisters. as I’ve stated in previous entries, all of them are extremely special to me.

for the first time in over two months, i am able to spend time with those whom i love most.

I came home for thanksgiving break today (drove all the way by myself!) and became instantly teary eyed when i saw and hugged each one of them. that is, when they finally got home from a church function! imagine this: as i pulled into the driveway; no cars. not my dad's truck; not my mom's suv; not even Brandon's truck. i know they went to church in the morning, but i pulled up at a 10 minutes after four!

i used my old keys and got into the house, met a kindly gaze from our confused family dog, Jasper (looked like he thought i had made a wrong turn somewhere!) and delivered my bag and purse to my room. as i sat on the bed, i didn't know whether to smile or cry … so i did a little of both! i then felt a small and subtle sensory impact on my bed. it was getting closer, and closer.

already knowing the source of this, i merely looked down to see my Nikki sniffing to make sure her mama was really home. i confirmed any doubt by rubbing her behind her little triangle ears as I’ve done so many times. she began to purr and it felt as if i'd never been gone.

i decided not to call them since they surely knew they weren't already home, so i texted Jessica cryptically and asked if anyone was home. when she messaged back telling me they were at a church bazaar, i asked what time they were going to be done, and she informed me they would be leaving shortly because mom wanted to get started on dinner. in the meantime, i went online and checked a few things.

i was about to post a blog comment on the portland trail blazers website when i heard two vehicles pull into the driveway. i heard running footsteps and almost immediately the door was opening; i went out of my room and to the top of the stairs. Jessi, along with the angelic Monika were making their way to the top. i knelt down and hugged them both. too long apart. Angi and Keith weren't far behind, then my mom and dad, calmly waking in the door.

the greetings were amazing and made me feel as if i'd been gone for much, much longer than the nearly 10 weeks it actually has been. i was home, and for the moment, that's all that mattered. i was bombarded with a million questions and, upon recognizing this, Angi told me to pace myself because i had only a week to update them all!

Monika, my nearly three-year-old sister, has been of great concern to me while i'm away. i swear she's grown four inches since i saw her driving away with my parents as they dropped me off at school in the second week of september. i can't believe all that has seemed to happen, her happiness and her challenges. her eyes were bright as she told me all of it!

after putting some things away, my mom found me with a huge hug and an actual “welcome home, Kassandra.” it was greatly surreal how at the same time i was the little girl of which i strive to keep a hold, but also in a strange sense, a peer to her. an adult.

my dad came up from the basement and caught my eye. with a partial smile, he asked if everything was going well. i nodded in the affirmative. then, characteristically, he asked how my car was doing. he's never had any issue of tell me how he feels, but it was as if he needed to cover these initial topics with his first-born daughter.

“the car can wait a while,” i told him while going to put my arms around him. “i love you daddy. i missed you.” he whispered that he missed me too and, all of the sudden, i was daddy's little girl in his arms which is where i've always felt the most secure.

i was informed that Brandon, my younger brother by a year, was at a search and rescue function and would be home for dinner. it was more hugs, tears, smiles and laughs when he walked in the door.

they've had so many questions for me, but I’ve got just as many for each of them. i'm glad we have a full week to get reacquainted. a week. i truly can't believe it's so long – and so short.

it should also give my dad time to give my jetta a complete examination!

~ Kassandra