Hattiesburg=Mecca

Those of you in Hattiesburg and surrounding areas just dying for a dose of the Sappington (Hodges and Stewart) girls...here we come! Mom, Raegan, Callie, Reese and I (and Aunt Gwen) will be on our way in 2 days!

In my Young Marrieds' Sunday School class the other Sunday, I mentioned I would be out of town this coming weekend and Jenn Knierim (yes, Jenn you have now made my blog) asked me where I was going and I said, "Mecca." Jenn was like, "Huh?"

I was of course referring to my trip to Hattiesburg, which to me is all things wonderful. If you live there and haven't lived many other places, perhaps you do not have the same warm and fuzzy feelings that I do. I lived 7 hours away in college and that is when my love for Hattiesburg grew. Then when I was in Fiji and Hawaii for 5 months I knew that I just had to get back to Hattiesburg as quickly as possible - specifically, the community of Oak Grove.

No, I am not referring to the Hattiesburg you see when you stop for a pitstop on your way to New Orleans or anywhere else. I am talking about the warm weather, azaleas, and hydrangeas. Family, community, eating outside, living on the lake, and having the sky painted on my ceiling. Walking to the pool, doubling-back to get our cane poles to fish in the lake when we were supposed to be walking, laying out, Canebrake's Christmas lights when you came in the neighborhood and looking at the stars on the roof outside my window. Oh it just makes me sigh...

I love Hattiesburg. I love Mississippi. And I can't wait to see you.