Missing the 'Burgh

       The last few days of work for both of us have been a little rough, and I know for myself I occasionally wonder why in the world I am doing this. Today we had a mini discussion about future plans even though we are only a month into this. This past month has flown by and I know the next 4 will go even faster with the holidays coming and everyone being busy. Anyway, we have to start to think about things sooner or later, and although our plan is to travel for at least a year, who knows what will change or how! We started to talk about where we might like to go after March 19th, or if we decide that traveling isn't for us, then what happens next? There are many times that we find ourselves missing Pittsburgh and our friends and family, and I always find myself comparing little things here with the familiar things back in the burgh.
       After reading a comment from my friend Bethany and sharing with her the things we miss most about Pittsburgh, I started to tear up a bit as I recalled part of that long list. It is always nice to bring these things back into memory when times here get a little more challenging and we start to miss our friends and family back home. So for the heck of it, and as sort of a catharsis for Mike and I, we decided to reminisce, build this list together, and share it with all of you!!
    

 What we miss most about Pittsburgh:

Skyline at the Pirates game this summer before we left

Spending time with our friends. The Steeler's. Steeler's parties. Our 40 inch HDTV (especially for the Steeler's parties). Having friends on holidays like Halloween. Mike's old comic book store, Phantom of the Attic, and discounted comic books. Bellefield.  Riverview park. The strip. Our favorite restaurant, Girasole. Having sharp knives. Seeing Harry Potter every year on opening night with the Lubinskis. Gas cooking. The skyline. Fall leaves. The LIVING ministry. Being part of ALIVE (the ministries biggest yearly event). The Children's Home (this job gives me a new appreciation for my old job). Pumpkin patches. One lane streets. Giant Eagle. Qdoba. A backyard. Video games. My collection of  books. Dinners at Aunt Jane's. All of the new babies. Having a hair salon. Small groups. Quinn and Rose on the radio. Light up Night with friends. The old Honda Civic. The farmers markets. Mike preaching Wednesday mornings at Light of Life. Pot holes (oh wait, just kidding). Clover's favorite kennel. My painting class. Charles' awesome surprise parties. $5/free popcorn Monday's at South Side Works theater. Working with friends. Going to lunch with friends. Taking walks with friends. Having face to face conversations with friends. Pretty much all of our awesome Pittsburgh friends :)

Mike's 28th birthday surprise and his friends who made his cake :)

        Now clearly, we could continue that list forever, but those are some of the highlights. And, there could also be a list of what we DON'T miss about Pittsburgh, but those would be mundane things like rush hour bridge traffic, trash on the sidewalks, and owning a home that won't sell...but those things just depress everyone, and what we need now is to smile as we remember all of the good things about the place we love and miss...Pittsburgh!

Light up Night 2006 - Charity, Jess, me and Beth

ALIVE 2008 - Liz, me and Kelly!