There is no place like home...

In my previous post I stated that my husband, my two girls and I were driving to Georgia to visit my parents. They "retired" here about 5 years ago. (I say retired but as many people do now a days, they both got new jobs and are still working full time) When they decided to move, we decided to buy my childhood home. I just couldn't see it go to someone else... I had to have it. It is home! Well, I have come to find out that home is not necessarily an address on a house, it is a feeling you get when you are welcomed into a place with such warmth and love that there is no other word for it than "home."

I have three brothers that also moved to various parts of Georgia over the last 8 or so years. They are all living within a few hours of my parents and are able to see them regularly. I am the only one of my family that stayed in Michigan to brave another winter! This saddens me quite often knowing that I am missing out on family dinners, baseball games for my nephews and just spending time as a family. We travel here as often as we can, but busy lives do not accommodate 12 hour trips to the south more then one or two times a year.

When we get out of the car at my parents house a calm comes over me. This is not the house I grew up in, I have very little memories of being in this house, (we have only visited maybe 5 times or so since they have moved into this house), I have no stories to tell my kids of when I was little (I have those stories back in Michigan), however, as soon as the door opens and I see my parents I know I am home. Something about seeing their faces, knowing that we are together again after months of being apart just makes everything feel right.

We try to get my brothers and their families together at least once during our trip down here. This is so hard because everyone has such busy lives. I do appreciate it when we are all together, talking, laughing and reminiscing of days gone by. I love seeing my kids play with my nephews, I love seeing my husband get to know my brothers. It all seems right when we are together.

I know there is not going to be a time when we are all going to be together again for a long period of time and I think that makes every moment I get to spend with my family so special. No matter where may family is.. that is home (away from home)