Dear MOM and Dad, don't read this post. Love, Becca

I miss my parents. A lot. Today I was organizing some photos and came across this one from a little over a year ago at the airport before my parents left. Seeing the picture made me kind of sad. Three years seems like a really long time. But really it has gone and will go quickly. My parents are just 2 and half months short of halfway. I think I'm going to start counting the mission time like my dad does...he rounds up. So, since they are past the one year mark, really, in his mind (and now mine) they are done with 2 years. It just seems better that way. I know that for any active LDS family, having your parents leave for awhile to go and serve is inevitable. I know I'm not the only one. I shouldn't whine. And, some people don't even have parents or have nasty mean parents that wouldn't be missed. So, I guess I should consider myself lucky that I have parents who are missed. And I know you're probably thinking, "Becca, you've been to Brazil three times since your parents left 15 months ago...the longest amount of time you've gone without seeing them is 6 months...stop being a big baby." I know, I know. But it is the little everyday things I miss.

• Being in the same time zone.
• Shopping with Mil. (I miss shopping with my mom, not shopping in general as I really don't like shopping.)
• Being home, looking in my parents' fridge, thinking they have no food, only to have my mom come home and whip up a masterpiece out of nothing and then getting to eat that masterpiece.
• Going back to my dad's office to catch him watching "Cinderella Man" on his tiny little TV for the 5th time that week while "working."
• Having it cost 40 dollars for gas to drive up to Idaho to visit the parents rather than a 1000 dollar plane ticket plus a 200 dollar visa.
• Whomping. (What my mom calls it when my dad and brothers start wrestling each other.)
• Not having it not matter where I spend the holidays.
• Seeing my dad's sheep grazing on the hill. (They are at a sheep babysitter right now.)
• Things just being normal. Or as normal as they get with my family.

I guess what got me thinking about all of this is that last week my mom almost got to come to SLC for a few days to bring a sick sister missionary home for surgery. I wouldn't have been in SLC anyway, since I was in Panama at the time, but it just got me thinking of how fun it would have been to meet her at the airport, take her to Cuccina Toscana where we'd spit an order of gnocchis with arabiatta sauce followed by a desert of molten lava cake, and then take her shopping, where she would probably go CRAZY at the prospect of being able to once again buy American clothing and food. So, secretly in my evil heart, I hope another sister gets sick. Just kidding. Okay, maybe kind of not. Well, maybe instead of someone having to get ill one of my brothers will get married and then at least my mom (but sadly not my dad) could come home for the wedding. There's always hope. Anyway, sorry for the WHINING. I'm going to stop now. But let me just promise all of you readers out there, whose parents haven't left yet...you will want to whine. So, don't judge me too harshly now, lest I judge you right back. Done.