Home!

Ahhh, home at last.

We had such a wonderful trip to Virginia! It was a refreshment to see old friends, and so much great family. Greta had a blast at her Nana and Papa's house, and handled the planes and airports like a champion. But HOME, there is no place like it.

I cautioned Kent and my dad (who graciously picked us up) as we drove home from SeaTac, " This may sound awful, but I'm really looking forward to telling you both what to do." The thrill of delegation was already stirring in my blood. Because I was heading back to my nest, where things are up to me to either accomplish or delegate. Yes, that sweet control to make home the place you love on a daily basis.

And what I longed for, for today was to wake up to a clean, warm, cozy home, with yummy smells, without a trace of travel, long absence, or the old year to be found anywhere. 

A tall order.

Especially for a pregnant lady and her family who just traveled the entire span of our country on 4 hours sleep. But we be crazy like that, and as soon as we got home we set to work!

Sorting out three weeks of mail, (thank you for all of your wonderful Christmas cards!), taking down stale birthday and Christmas decorations, chucking trees, sweeping, dusting, scrubbing, unpacking*, purging the closets of things to be donated to make way for the things newly acquired, turning on the heat, and lighting candles, going to the store, stocking the cupboards...what a thrill.

Too much vacation makes you hungry for such thrills. It was marvelous, and I woke up this morning with all my hopes for my little home met.

There never was a happier me!

Ps- Thanks again to Paula and Gary, Scott and Karen, Christopher and Bethany, And Zach and Greta for inviting us into your homes to cook for us, host us, and making us feel so welcome. We miss you!

*A major accomplishment for us! Since we usually dress out of our suitcases for at least a month after any trip anywhere, until all the clean clothing in it has been worn and the suitcase itself becomes a catch-all for dirty clothes and odd items...a permanent fixture.

image by