Walla Walla = Home

It was such a fun trip home. Okay...I am lying...it was stressful, exhausting, and somewhat straight-up depleting. But, it was so needed and helped us to better understand how we will travel between here and there in the future. And it was so wonderful to see family and friends that it seemed we hadn't seen in decades. I look forward to the holidays when I will get to see folks in Kentucky. I can't even explain the amount I miss Detroit, family, friends, Louisville, and so much more. Just a simple thought about getting chocolate chip pancakes at the Pancake House in Grosse Pointe can make me tear up. It has been so very surprising to me how homesick I have been. I have usually tackled a situation like this head on with no looking back. But not this time. I have to admit, in the last few days I am just now finally feeling a little more at home here.  I am not going to trick myself into believing it will be easy tomorrow. It will take a while before it is.

I think I am just taking it day by day and accepting each moment of sadness along with each moment of happiness and contentment. I look over at my son and he is happy as a lark. I see him running through the grass at the park and smiling back at me and getting lost in the wonder of this town and it teaches me that I, too, must get lost in the wonder. Most likely we will get back east someday, but until then I should enjoy every moment I have out here. Who knows, these may be the only moments I get to take in the vast wonder of such a unique place as Eastern Washington. And if we ever move back east, I may get only this time to see the Cascade Mountains, orogenous royalty in my eyes. (And for those of you who are wondering about my vocab just there, an orogeny is a mountain chain.) This really is a beautiful place, and I have already met some wonderful people who have gone out of their way to bring us into their lives. And as I sit here writing this, I realize that one day I may have to say good-bye to them in much the same way and it will be just as difficult.

So, we are back home. We are back where we belong for right now. And we are enjoying ourselves. Frontier Days is just around the corner and I have a cute little rodeo shirt for Linus to wear. I am already thinking of a menu for Labor Day weekend, but maybe we'll have a cookout to attend. And, Steve just wrote me a text a few hours ago to let me know we got invited to a corn roast this weekend. Fun seems to be pouring from every corner. And each time I feel sad and miss my other home, I just have to look at Linus, see his smile, giggle, and glee and realize that we are in our home now. Steve, Linus, and I are home to each other.