Last Trip Home

This morning I woke up incredibly sad, it's the last morning of my last trip home for months.

I had the incredible privilege of growing up in the same blue house for the first 18+ years of my life. I was very brave and switched bedrooms three times but other than that I never moved anywhere. So, during my college years, camp summers, and married years this place is still very much where I refer to when I say "home."

I know all of the cutesy sayings that ladies sew on samplers, "Home is where the heart is" or "Where ever you may be is home" are touching, but for me, this blue house is very much home. At 32 weeks, this is my last doctor approved trip and after the discomfort and pain after Friday's drive here I understand why. Annabeth will be here in 2 months and then I am sure we will need quite a bit of adjustment before we're able to just drive down for a visit to Evansville.

I love this house, not just because my family is here, but because I know all the places where the floor creeks, which stairs to skip in the middle of the night and I love the yard, the memory ground for so many childhood dreams and games.

My new hope is that Mark and I will be able to give Annabeth some place like this. A place that is positive and safe. A place that even at 3 years out of college and 2 years married feels like the only place she'll want to be on a bad or sad day.

I am thankful that Mama, Dad, and Lu have planned lots of visits up north for the fall and winter so that we may see them. But today, with the sun streaming in the sunroom windows of my blue house, I wish I could stay just a little longer...