Home

Today, I had a moment. One that took me by complete surprise, but a moment that I knew was heaven sent. This morning, after the gym, I promised my oldest we would go get her that new backpack from Pottery Barn Kids that she needs since school begins wednesday for them (nothing like waiting to the last minute), but while there we took our time looking at all of the beautiful things that they have there for children. My kids could really just go there to play all day. Since we were not rushed, I allowed for the kids to look, touch, and explore some of things around them. While I was looking over the lunch boxes, I made a comment to G about school and if we really needed a new lunch box to go with the other 5 we currently have. Then I heard a familiar voice, a woman turned and began talking to the woman she was with about Caroline's hair. Her voice was sweet, slow, and all to familiar, I naturally turned and said thank you ma'am and she said "honey where are you from", honestly, a statement I hear often living here in southern California. I spoke proudly and said to her "Pensacola, Florida" the lady just beamed. She said we are from Panama City. For those of you not familiar, Panama City is about 2 hours from my hometown. The woman was kind and had sunkissed skin and blonde hair that reminded me of my Aunt Deborah, before realizing it we are standing in the middle of a store, talking about home. Things that we both knew about and places we have eaten or visited. For a minute pictures of these places flashed in my mind. A place where I just left and had to say goodbye to two grandparents. The place where my roots were established, where I went to school for my entire childhood. It was a good feeling to just hear someone so familiar and be right beside them, it was enough to make me just want to hug a complete stranger. It was a good feeling to have home so much closer when you are so far away even if it is with strangers. Funny how that happens as you get older. But this time, it was reassuring as I have been worried about my family and more enlightened on time and how little I have left with the ones that know me best. The ones that taught me things that I now know as an adult. Then as moments go, the moment passed and we said goodbye and I told them it was nice talking and to enjoy their vacation. They in return thanked us for our service for my husband and the job he does for our country. I left feeling full of pride and for a moment at home. It was perfect timing since I came in to the store feeling a bit down. I just had myself a private, pity, party on the way there. I was thinking about my girls and how much I wish that on their first day of school that my family would be able to see them, hug them when they got home and to hear about their first day. Instead, they will come home to a mama with open arms. Which I know this is enough and all they need, but sometimes my heart aches for them to have more. To have cousins to sit with at lunch, to check on them on the playground and a grandparent that will share in the first day excitement. So I am pretty sure this woman was heaven sent this morning. Her words and actions and time she took talking with me was just what I needed to get over this sad moment I was having and realize that home can be anywhere as long as we have one another and although these things were my favorite parts of childhood, they too will have their favorite memories, personalized just for them. Where we love is home, Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., Homesick in Heaven