Returning home?

Even though I am nearly 36, I've been married for nearly 14 years, lived eastward for eight, and moved into a home that my husband and I built from the dream floor; it still feels odd to say I'm "going home" when I leave my parents house. California will always be home, and yet it's quite clear that I'm a grown up, building a life in my own home in PA. Home is truly where the heart is and my heart is spread wide.

It's always bittersweet to leave. That's the question people ask. "Were you sad to leave?" or "Were you ready to go?"  Yes and yes.  It's a very "you can't have your cake and eat it too" situation. I'm never ready to leave CA but I'm usually ready to get back to our space and routine. I want both.  (Insert foot stomping and whining.) Still, I'm thankful to have more than one place to call home when so many have no place at all. My life isn't perfect but compared to most of the world it's cake.

We returned and hit the ground running. Saturday night we went to see the play Esther. It was written and directed by my dear friend's mom and it was quite good. I had helped Rachel a bit with her part as the narrator (shown above) and it was fun to dip my toe into the world of theater again. 

Dennis took the kids fishing and Eden had success! Van and Eden have been dancing, but she wasn't keen on me capturing the moment. We have dogwoods! And I met a local gnome.