Home Near The Holidays

It is true. Though the people I live my life with in The Shoebox down here in Music City are truly my home, in my head I still think of Northern Virginia as “home.”

We spent a glorious week up north a few weeks ago, (now a few months ago), and it has taken me this long to write of it. A tender heart for a few days after we returned to the southern home was part of the reason. Christmas and getting busy with our regularly-scheduled life was the other.

A cold and hacking cough was carried north by The Buster and Me, though I felt worse at the beginning of the trip. Post-trip news would bring us word that we had managed to share the cold with both the families we stayed with, though both assured us it was “worth it,” and “there’s a lot going around.” Honest Jenny also referred to me as “Typhoid Mary,” so, you know, the loving openness of true friends.

We started out with Jenny, Brendan, LuLu, and A.J. in their new home. In a show of their brilliance, and our extreme good fortune, the two families that are our Virginia homesteads have the kindness to live only 4 minutes away from each other. J and B’s new house is wonderful, and Buds and I plan to someday have a sun room like they have.

We timed our trip to match with the Massadoah Christmas Party, so we got to see Chris and Mia and the Partners. Had the holiday dinner with the Juice Crew, that was also awesome.

Moved over to Kel and Paula’s during the work week.

Then, best of all worlds, the available beloveds gathered for a party on our last night. Having this group of our some of our favorite people in the whole world all in one cozy home still makes me smile as I think of it.

I’m writing this weeks afterward, so much is going left unsaid, but I wanted to have a memory jog in the years to come.

And now, it’s even weeks later…I’ve had trouble writing this post.

I miss these people. Having coffee with Tania, laughing with Kelly, watching the children disappear for hours of play together, cackling as Brendan tried out his new “vest.” It was a great week.

Loving the life I’m living, but knowing that most of my “tribe” is all together up there…that’s still really hard. We’re making a new tribe down here, but I still want to win the lottery and buy a neighborhood to move all of you into.

Until that happens, we’ll keep writing and planning and checking in. The ties are strong and stretchy.

Post written. Still working through the feelings.