That word, home, has multiple meanings these days.

I’m at home in Uganda.  I’m at home in America.  I’m not really home at all…waiting for heaven.

But recently I had a visit to my first home for a few weeks.

Sometimes you don’t realize how much you need to a trip home until you have already arrived.  (Truth be told…I felt it when I got back home to Uganda too.  And I pray it feels like that to an exponentially greater level when I reach my ultimate home.)

This is just a glimpse of that sweet time…

I was able to visit a several churches.

I had a really special time in Grand Rapids with my good friends from my Cornerstone University days.

Where our friendship all began… (Me, Bethany, Kristin, & Cassie…missing Erin & Jen)

We discovered many open buildings, helping us to reminisce all the good times.  This was our room sophomore year.

Cassie’s old room with Erin.

  When the children are the photographers… Why are the outtake pictures always my favorites?

Kristin’s kids joined us for part of the day….good thing, because we needed their photography skills a few times!

Because only in America would a festival include a place designated for you to leave your balloon at pick back up at your earliest convenience.

Another sweet reunion was with my girls who used to live in The Oasis with me.  What a treat that Megan and I were both home from the mission field at the same time!

Melissa, Alison, Me, Megan

We met up at Endiro Coffee…a Ugandan restaurant in Aurora.  Gloria was in the USA to help get the place up and running…I’m hoping to run into her in Uganda sometime!

Sometimes I remembered to take pictures while hanging out with friends that I met up with at homes or coffeeshops.

I spent a few days in Texas for training with CTEN, my mission organization.  A friend of mine, Bethany, was home from Tanzania for the training as well.  It was good week!

I had some good ol’ family time with things like graduation and Father’s Day.

And I even spotted some glimpses of my Ugandan home in the grocery store!

Thought it was nice to be home for awhile, engage in deep conversations with friends and family, wash my clothes with machines, not think about the possibility of power outages, experience the convenience of drive-thru’s, go to church services fully in English, watch Netflix, eat good ice cream, and more….It’s good to be back home in Uganda again (dust and all).