It's a bittersweet move.
It will be nice being near Matt's family and being in the sunshine, but it's not home. Maybe one day it will be, but right now it's Matt's home and I am known as Matt's wife. Lakeland is someplace I visit, not someplace I know. Ohio has always been neutral ground, which is precisely why we've been here for the last three years (I kept telling Matt that California's the best neutral ground, but I was never able to convince him, dangit). But, even with great friends, jobs, and church, I never saw it as home.
Syracuse wasn't the perfect place to grow up. It's freezing cold in the winter and finding something exciting to do on a Friday night is as difficult as here in Dayton. However, my family and friends make up for the many shortcomings of the area. Home is a place where I am completely loved, accepted, and enjoyed. It's not that I fear that I won't be these things in Florida, but it's the COMPLETELY part that I think can only be found at home. There is nothing to prove or anyone to impress, and no feeling stupid for saying something dumb (and I say a LOT of dumb things!). I am completely me at home. Silly, serious, quiet, loud, caring, careless, consistent, roller-coaster, strong, vulnerable, cheerful, moody me. No matter which me I am on any given day, I never have to question if I'm loved. It's a pretty great thing; I know that is not what home is for everyone. I only hope that when my daughter looks back at where she was raised, she'll see home in the same way I do.
7 comments:
You make me cry...
we can be blogging friends/sisters now! Yeah!
Oh Kelly....you make me cry too...and I'm sure this made your Mom cry too. You will love Florida eventually. I felt the same way about moving to Rochester. It will be good for you to get to know Matt's fam better.
I'm so glad you're a blogger! I can't wait to see pics of that little peanut of yours!
Hey Kelly....love the GREEN! To answer your question...the header. I just created a template with the four layers of the kids pictures in photoshop (like a storyboard). You'll have to play around with it to get it to fit to the size you want it. Save it as an actual jpeg (instead of psd) and that will be the image you upload as your header. I hope that makes sense. Email me if you are still having trouble.
okay...so when I left my first comment, I did not read your post first...just opened your blog up and replied to your question. But geez Kelly...I'm not even your mom and I cried! I'm sure the move will go well...just wish it was a little closer than a little farther from here! It's neat though...even though you've been gone for so long, part of your heart is still here...I think that's why so many of us never really are able to leave. Even though I'm not at my parents home anymore...I've never really been able to drift too far from it.
Hey - about the background.... visit "simply chic blog backgrounds" in my friends list. It has cute backgrounds and instructions on how to put them in your blog.
Hi there sweetie. Guess what... I know exactly what you are saying...and I know exactly how you are feeling...
As our family grew ,we never lived in one place very long (just long enough to get establish in our church, in our schools and with doctors)and then it would be time to move on.
I remember when one of my boys (for the first time) asked me why I said we were going for a trip "home" when we had a home with all of us right where we were. I never paused in saying to them that I was the luckiest woman in the world because I would alway have a "home" where I grew up. They (my kids) were my home and I loved that above all else but I had two "homes" as I would always be welcomed and loved in the place I grew up. How lucky can a girl get?
Now that doesn't mean you don't make your memories "special" where you are - with your husband and child - but it means that you realize how blessed you are because you will always have two "home" and not everyone does.
Love you too, as you know
Aunt Carol
PS Our boys reference this house as their "home" too even thou none of them live with us any more. They now have two homes as well. Guess love will do that ---if you're lucky!
Umm...being from Syracuse and having a husband from Florida I can so relate! I think Clifton Park might have been a nice compromise as well:) Plus Libby is here too! Okay well I guess I'll have to settle for visiting you when I come to Lakeland.
Post a Comment