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Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Many the Miles #4

Today is our last day before starting the many miles home. The girls have taken a walk with my dad (Pop) to go see the fish hatchery. I'm starting some laundry and pulling together the parts and pieces of our visit and shoving them placing them neatly into our suitcases. We will be spending our last day trying to catch up with most of my sisters who are spread across Maryland and Pennsylvania, and, like most busy moms have crazy schedules.

We'll be treating ourselves to a Rita's Italian Water Ice today...one of those special east coast treats that we can't find in Arkansas. I will also be trying frantically to figure out what's wrong with our in-car DVD system which has failed us this last leg of the trip. We NEED it for our 10 hour drive tomorrow.

The idea of 18 hours of driving to get home is far from appealing at this point. What is appealing is home itself. Hugs and kisses from Don. Grunts from my boys. Sleeping in my own bed. Driving on familiar streets. Sitting in our recliner. Going to our church. Oh, I could go on and on. These are the things that motivate me to get my girls back in the car.

We've had a wonderful visit. Mimi and Pop have done their very best to spoil my girls which is evidenced by the fact Maria wants to pick up our life in Arkansas (house, friends, church, etc.) and place them right next door Mimi's house. It's one of those hard lessons that all of us girls have learned or been retaught this trip. The joy of visiting with family and friends is, for a brief time, replaced by thoughts of missing them again. After we dropped off Caroline's friend I asked her if the fun of spending time together was worth the pain of having to say goodbye again. Even through her tears she was able to answer, "Yes." All and all we've had a very fun and successful trip. But...

Simply stated: there really is no place like home.

1 comments:

Diann said...

Your question to Caroline made me cry. I completely understand your feelings on how spending time with family can make you "Homesick" all over again. Each time I visit my parents, brother, niece, sister-in-law, aunts, uncles and cousins...I have to remind myself through the tears that the Lord has given me with not one, but two places to call HOME. In a world where so many people feel like they don't fit in, we are truly blessed to have that. And I agree with Caroline through my own tears, the joy of spending time together IS worth the pain of having to say goodbye again.