home sweet home. 2010.

i was running to the bathroom, after our last 9 hour leg from Gallup, New Mexico...
but, the first few steps into my home were still magical.
MY HOUSE, after 3 weeks of visiting.

i love holidays, and road trips, and family...
(wish we could all live on the same block!!)
but, it is nice to be home.
we drove 21 hours home, our little suburban packed full of Christmas and kids...
of the 21 hours only 30 minutes were hell... the rest of the time was... a trip.
a good trip. 
with lots of snacks, two tv/dvds, books on tape, knitting, barbies, gameboys, a bag of crafts, and interesting rest stops.
the professor even bought me some fun jewlery from a Navajo family who approached him at a gas station trying to earn some money for their travel.

YES, we did sing the Messiah (with the sheet music i printed out before we left).
all those of you who doubted my grand messiah plans...  we did it, and it was fun.
well, mostly fun.
the girls did cry at first because they were lost with the sheet music, but i did a quick trade with drew-- he hopped into the front and i climbed into row 2 between leah and lily's carseats, and sat backwards using my finger to lead them through the Messiah's soprano line.

my life is like the messiah... mostly fun, with a few minutes of screaming, quick recovery and the HOPE that all we remember will be the good parts.

it didn't take long for my home sweet home feeling to fade into... dinner, bedtime, and plans for tomorrow unpacking and putting away christmas decorations...
i'm tired and excited just thinking about tomorrow.

i wish i could keep that home sweet home feeling a little longer.
perhaps tomorrow, when all the DOING is done and my home is in order, we can light a fire and warm some cider and just breathe in HOME.
nope.
i'm going to start right now.
even with the pile of suitcases in my living room... i'm going to pause, hear the quiet... appreciate my cute, husband waiting for me in bed... love my energetic, smart, adorable children who are sprawled out IN THEIR OWN beds tonight...  i'm going to slip into my pjs, read a new christmas book and just enjoy HOME.  my bed, my pillow, my family.

this year, i'm going to try to focus on my strengths not my weaknesses.
i'm going to enjoy my life now and not dream of better days.
i'm going to see the angel parts of those around me and overlook the rough edges.
this year... starting today.  i'm going to love my home. my life. who i am.
yes.  there is always tomorrow, and hopefully tomorrow will bring improvements.
but today.
i'm so grateful to be home.