in which i attempt to be more transparent. . .

my childhood home, from Sunday

"You can't go home again." But I did. . . and it was fun! My parents moved from my childhood home in Memphis to Nashville right after I married. In fact, I remember waiting for out of town wedding guests while sitting in lawn chairs in my front yard as prospective buyers looked at the house (lawn chairs in the front yard-insert redneck joke here). I love Nashville, but it's not really home. That, and moving around with the military, and I don't really feel like there's a place I can go where I have history. No one, besides my family, who has known me for more than a couple of years. And I've wondered what it would feel like to sleep with my children in a room where I slept as a child. Now I know that my experience is far from unique. But it's very different from my husband's experience when he goes home. Marissa, IL was home to J until he left for college. He has known his best friends since elementary school, and the people we see around town were his teachers, coaches, and babysitters.

Anyway, I went to first evan this past weekend and got a little taste of this kind of homecoming. I have been 2 times since I was married in the church 9 years ago. I loved the friends of my parents who would ooh and ahh over my baby and say "Is she your first?" "No, 4th." (with wide eyes)"Ohhhh." And then they would see my oldest. "He looks just like David!"(my brother) I even got to catch up on the latest gossip with an old youth group friend. Nothing that day was a disappointment--I feel blessed to have such happy memories!

It did start me thinking. Our children will not have one specific place to call home either. They will not live in one place for more than a couple of years. There will be people in their lives who we'll keep up with, but they will be scattered all over the globe. I have yet to think of moving around as a negative thing, but then again, my oldest is not yet in kindergarden. I think I will still always try to focus on the postitive aspects of these moves. More friends in more places! More excitement! More adventure! More opportunities! I will also try to make every place we move a comfortable, peaceful, beautiful place to call home. And then there's our large family. I think that's great! The children will have their siblings along everywhere they go.

And I guess it's a reminder that none of us should get too comfortable here in our temporary home on earth. That's what I love about the military. It doesnt allow me to get too comfortable. Cause when I get comfortable, the Lord always stirs things up!