Home Again

4 airports in 2 days. 3 different flights. Lessons of trust, patience, kindness tucked away within those moments, the ones that reminded me of my adulthood, of knowledge and confidence I've gained -- even though I can't pinpoint where it came from. I can only conclude that I've picked up bits of both along the way. And I had people reminding me of it, too.

Now I'm searching for words to capture this magic that's these emotions that come with returning to a place that I once knew as a temporary home away from home, passing my familiar landmarks along the way that have become friends along the freeway, seeing what will now be my home away from my home town, which will still be a sanctuary to me, a heart-lifting, rejuvenating place, but of a different kind -- the kind that I will go to for visits, that I will relish every moment in, but that I will be glad to leave for my very own sanctuary that I've put together my own way. A place that will be no less special, but that will have to share some of my sense of "home" with another.

The Midwest grew more beautiful while I was gone.

The moment I could see the North Platte again, I knew that I would always, always be a Midwest girl at heart who would always feel her heart swell with love again at being reunited with this home.

~"Where we love is home,/Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." [-Homesick in Heaven by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.]~

And So It Begins.

It is 2:20 in the morning.

And I still have some packing left to do.

I'm going to sleep, finish packing, and then hit the road. On time. Which is anywhere before 8:30.

It snowed earlier. It was just an inch, but it happened to be the beautiful fat, fluffy, and glittery flakes that are mesmerizing. I admired them on the way to my aunts, praising God for their beauty. "Thanks for one last beautiful bit of snow!" I mentally told Him.

Later, as my car was sliding around on the snow and ice covered roads, I thought to myself, "Goodness, it'll be great to be in Texas."

(A few seconds later... )

"Sorry, God. It is still pretty. I'm sure I'll miss it at least a little."

Mission Texas Adventure:

Kansas City today. Spend time with David and his family.

Dallas on Friday. Spend time with Matt and Kelly.

Tomball on Saturday. Meet host family. Settle in. Think about the high of 18 degrees back home while there's a high of 66 degrees in Tomball. :)

~"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." [-Lao Tzu]~