Home

Today we went to a friend's birthday party in what I still consider to be my home town even though I've lived in my current town for 26 of my 34 years.

It was familiar. I hadn't been back there since we left really but everything was still very familiar.

The surreal part was being there, and being 34, and having my family with me, and my daughter who is me all over again, and her being 5 (almost 6). When I lived there I was 5 (and 6) and mom was 34. I went to kindergarten and first grade there. I took dance lessons there. My Dad and Mom owned and operated their first business there. And they built their dream home there overlooking the golf course. They were young and had everything in the world going for them. I convinced Mom to let me get my ears pierced there. I convinced Dad that God sent me a kitten there. I fell in love for the first time there (with a boy named Bubba) and dressed up like Olivia Newton John nearly every day there while listening to her greatest hits album (vinyl). I decided Urban Cowboy was my favorite movie there (still is) and gave up mayonnaise and any kind of creamy dressing there. I decided I loved to paint there when Mom and I created our first fingerprint masterpiece and it was a place where all of our family came to see us and stay with us. It felt like home. Still does. But being there today with the PEOPLE who feel like home to me now was pretty amazing.



This was our house.



This was the back that looked out over the golf course. Mom and Dad planted so many azaleas there. And spent days and weeks making that back yard manicured and beautiful. None of their azaleas are there though. I couldn't show Dad this picture. He still talks about it like it is still their home too.



This is the golf course. I remember chasing dragon flies out there. I thought it was mine. My magical green field.



I remember Dad putting me up on that fence. I bet there are 50 pictures of me sitting right in this very spot in Mom's hope chest. Madeline wasn't with me when we took this picture. I would love to have one of her there. We'll have to take our little trip down memory lane again some time so I can get one.

There's something to be said for a small town life. I'll have to get Mom and Dad to tell Madeline and I all of their stories about life back then again. I bet it will mean so much more to me now that I can so relate to who they were.

We had a great day with great friends.