We're Home!

As I type this, I am in my own bed, in my own house-- albeit a much different-looking house, as the painters came while we were away and transformed all the dark paneling and trim to a brilliant, glossy white! The house feels cleaner and looks bigger as a result. They also painted the kitchen, laundry room and small half bath a blue that I picked out of a pottery barn catalog my aunt and uncle had at the beach. (The kitchen was a dark red when we bought it and it made it feel dark and closed in in there.) The blue is so soothing and just "happier" feeling than that dark red. I like red-- just not in my kitchen. In fact, I am probably going to do red in our dining room.

I never clarified that Curt didn't get to come back and join us at the beach like we planned. His speedometer broke on his car last week so we decided it wasn't worth risking it to try to drive down. Which meant we had to close down the house, pack everything, load the car and come back alone. As much as I hated to do it, it just made the most sense. Sometimes it's hard to do the right thing-- even when you know it's the right thing. So, he got to enjoy another few days of quiet-- I am sure he loved that! Last night after I got home, we took his car in to be repaired, so the speedometer will hopefully be working again soon.

We had a wonderful time with Karen and her kids. Although I think we were all ready to get home to our respective houses. We both moved around the same time and are both feeling the added stress of getting settled, unpacked and making changes to our new places. (Her family is finishing out a basement. Our family is updating this 1982 original we bought.) Plus, we both have a new school year to plan. (She homeschools her three, I will be homeschooling two of mine this year.) I also have three days to buy all the older three who are going to school's school supplies and uniforms. (They start school on Thursday.) And we both have writing and speaking business "stuff" on our minds.

So, while the break was good for us both-- we both knew it was time to get back to real life. Although we did wonder if it wouldn't be easier to become beach bums and feed our kids junk food for the rest of our lives! She and her kids left yesterday morning before the rest of us even got up-- but we said our goodbyes the night before. Saying goodbye is never easy, but I am looking forward to seeing her again soon at Hearts at Home in MI in October, when I will be traveling as Micca Campbell's "assistant" and working the P31 booktable. I much prefer "see you later" to "goodbye." So Karen, I will see you later.

And in the meantime, it is good to be home.