For Labor Day weekend we were able to drive to Shreveport to check on our rent house and spend time with family. Every time I go back home, I remember all the things I love about my hometown. If you've ever been to Shreveport, chances are you thought it wasn't much to look at. It isn't really a touristy place so you probably just drove through - unless you wanted to frequent the casinos of course. Maybe you wondered what the heck people do around there all day. But if you grew up there, then you know all the sights and smells that you can't experience just driving through. Shreveport has it's problems of course - poverty, failing schools etc. But here are some of the things I really miss:
1. Strawn's strawberry pie - it has been too long since I tasted your soft, flaky
crust
2. The Red River Revel - every year in the fall, vendors sell food and crafts on
the riverfront/ lots of great music
3. The fact that every time I go into a store or restaurant, I see someone I knew
from high school, college, church, or a student I taught.
4. The riverfront - where Brent and I had many many dates/ where he first told me
he wanted to marry me.....sigh....
5. Humphrey's from Counter Culture - when music theory with Dr. Rust proved too
much for the day, we walked across the street to get these little pieces of
heaven. The perfect medicine for a crap day at school.
6. College buddies and professors. Loved that I had such a close network of
colleagues that all graduated with me.
7. Family - hands down, the thing I miss the most is being able to see my parents,
grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Also - most of Brent's family lives
here so I miss my in-laws, too.
8. Church family - growing up in Louisiana means you know pretty much everyone in
the stake. It's fun to see all the faces that taught me as a youth.
9. Easy commute - Living outside of Dallas means everything is at least 20-30
minutes away, sometimes more. Our last home was about 10 minutes from
entertainment.
10. Fried Food - really just my dad's fried catfish. Even if you don't care for
fried food, you would like his because it's made with love just the way I
remember it as a kid. Even better when we helped to catch the fish.
11. King Cakes from Julie Ann's Bakery - Cream Cheese...so so so good. I shipped
one to Brent on his mission because he loved them so much.
12. Mardi Gras
13. Southern Maid Donuts - Referred to by my sister simply as SMD's. Krispy Kreme
doesn't stand a chance against these althogh Brent would beg to differ.
Don't get me wrong. We love where we live! We've been blessed to be part of a great neighborhood and wonderful church family. But sometimes when we visit, we toy with the idea of moving back to Shreveport one day in the future. For now - we love being Texans. But when people ask me where I'm from, I'm proud to say I'm from the great state of Louisiana.
