making it home.

it seems to be a trend in the blogging community (or at least its true for the blogs that i read) to talk about and reflect on the idea of home. a few weeks ago, as i was writing a comment on the most recent post of this variety, and it was quickly turning into the makings of a short novel, i realized that i have a lot of thoughts on this topic as well.

the thought most recently in my head is a baseball analogy from my good friend which, in a very small nutshell, goes something like this: in baseball, the whole point is to make it back home, but since you start there, is there any point in ever leaving?

of course there are good things about leaving home. my Mom and Dad's goal for us kids was always for us to grow up into responsible young adults who love Jesus and move out of their parents house. just by leaving home, we won.  we accomplished the goal. by baseball standards, we arent hard to please. "woohoo! she hit the ball!" but if you are really committed to the baseball analogy and the need to make it all the way around the bases and back home to be successful, then think about this:  what if the goal is to leave home, round whatever bases life leads you to, and then end up at a different home, rather than to returning to where you started?

Mark and I bought a house. we made it through the process of inspections and paperwork and all the other fun and exciting and stressful things that turned it from someone elses house into OUR house. now we are starting the process of turning into more than just a house, adding our own personal touches that will make it feel a little less like a strangers house, but i wonder how long it will take before it really feels like our home?

i have lived a lot of places in my twenty three years. but there are precious few of those on the list that I have (and still) consider to be home. I know there are people who can't quite fathom the idea of having multiple homes, (especially ones so spread out from one another) but i feel that this phenomenon has largely been a blessing in my life. because home isnt necesarily "where your rump rests," it goes much deeper than that. home is where you feel comfortable, where you know you are always welcome, where you can go back to after any number of years and still be able to navigate without any need for directions. Home is where you are surrounded by people you love, living life and making memories that will last long after the termites have eaten your foundation and your septic tank has collapsed.

i am looking forward to starting my own little family and having my own home. it is just one more on the list of the many places i can call home, full of the many people i love dearly, and the many memories i have made and will continue to make.

i'm not quite there yet, but i plan on thoroughly enjoying whatever comes along in the process of making it home.