here.

We're still in California; heading home in a couple days. Feels like the never ending trip... but its been good. We keep saying we need to come for shorter visits, but I know if we do that, we need to come more often. Otherwise there's too many family members and friends to see in 7 days.

I miss home. I'm glad I miss home. How awful would it be to go somewhere on vacation and dread going back home. I miss the daily routine, and no, I never thought I'd actually say that. I miss doing school with my kids. We've been learning as we go along in our travels, but I miss them reading to me while I nurse, I miss the math lessons and science projects and games we play. Doing family devotions at the dinner table, cooking them big, yummy breakfasts, making dinner every night for my family... the daily grind as we so lovingly call it.
Funny how when you're in it, it seems so monotonous and yet being out of it for several weeks makes you miss it and realize what you love about it.

We've been able to see both sides of our families and so many dear friends, its been great. I'm doing my best to take pictures and at least one picture of at least one child of the people we visit :)
I've been able to capture group shots at most places, but some we only have a shot of a child and that's it.
Such is life.
Thankfully the city we're from is small and so seeing people in it is pretty easy. "Unfortunately" we've lived in several different cities and have probably too many close friends that live all over, so we've had to get creative with our visits. Its all worked out though.

Its weird coming back to visit the place I was born and raised, met my husband, got married, and had my first 3 babies in. There are so many memories here. When we lived here, I sort of just randomly thought about them at different times, but being here for relatively short visits makes your brain want to wrap itself around it all in just a few weeks and its hard. I want to show my kids every place I've ever loved and every place that holds a special memory for me and for Daddy... but I can't. We'd have to vacation here for several months {which I'm sure the Grandparents would be fine with}.
I'm realizing I need to make lists of places I'd like to take them when we come, so we're not missing out on too many old haunts when we do visit.

I have two states I call home. I have family in both. I have incredible friends in both, and a church family in each state that I am always going to be thankful to God for.
I wish I could meld the two places together and make it all one. At the same time I can't help but be thankful for the experiences God has given me in each place. For the ways I see Him moving in my life and for the journey each place has held for me.

So as we journey home, I'm saying good bye {again} to home.

As we've traveled through redwood trees, driven by huge lakes, ocean fronts and other scenic beauties, I've marveled at the fact that it was all created by God in a week. It took Him very little time to create what makes our jaws drop and our eyes stare in total amazement.
I can't help but think what our forever Home will be like. The one He's been building for thousands and thousands of years. It blows my mind. For real... I actually get dizzy thinking about it. There's a Keith Green song that touches on this topic.
I feel weird posting stuff like this. Mostly because its more like a journal entry. But I personally like reading things like this. I'm a deep thinker, I'm very nostalgic and I enjoy going deeper with people. But if you find this post odd, I get that.

Its always bitter sweet to leave our California home and to travel back to our Washington home... but I'm learning to be thankful for the bitter sweetness. I wouldn't want it to be all bitter or all sweet.

Thanks for the fun time, family and friends. We'll miss you guys!