three days 'til indiana

I know that Saturday morning is going to come too quickly. I will be rushing to get packed before my late shift Friday, but will still be throwing stuff in my bag before leaving for the airport at 4:30 a.m. Saturday on too little sleep. I will feel like I have work unresolved before I jet off to my home state for a week of catching up and Midwest summer fun. But I know it will all come together in the end. And when all those worries fade away, here's what I'm looking forward to most (in no particular order):

• Being greeted with hugs and cuddles from my little nephews

• Family dinner with my mom's homemade lasagna

• Indiana skies

• The late afternoon sun over cornfields

• Catching up with old friends over beers

• Midwest summer thunderstorm (fingers crossed!)

• Lightning bugs

• Baseball games and evening walks by the canal

• Back roads

• The wonderful feeling of an evening breeze after a hot, humid summer day

• Green grass, green trees, green everywhere

But mostly:

• Knowing that no matter how many times I come and go, it's never truly goodbye