no where i'd rather be

I don't know when it happened.  But I do know that I didn't always love being home.  In fact, I can remember days when I planned my weekends/evenings around NOT being home.  I just liked to be out and about.  But lately, home is where I want to stay.  And when given the opportunity to go somewhere, I often choose to stay put.

Maybe it is the fact that going anywhere these days requires a minimum of thirty minutes to prepare.  Diapers, nursing cover, extra undies...(we haven't needed them for a while, but I always bring them just in case), water bottle, Mister Bear, hats, gloves, coats, cell phone....the list goes on.

Or maybe it is because now that there are four of us living here, being away for any length of time means that the laundry will likely crawl out of the basket and attack me when I return.

Or maybe it is the cooler air whispering that winter is on the way.  I really do love winter for the simple reason that it requires us to all be huddled together under one cozy roof.

Whatever the reason, I've become a home body.  And I'm okay with that.  My girls are little enough to think that home is a pretty sweet place to be as well.  I'm so glad they're still small enough to think that our back yard is the ultimate in entertainment.

Here's the new swing set I found for Tulip at the local thrift store

Peach thinks it belongs to her...she's still getting used to the fact that not everything around this joint is her sole property any more.

I know that they will soon have hobbies and interests that will draw them away from home and that their excitement about our back yard won't last forever.  But I do hope that as they grow and explore the world, they know that home is where their hearts are.  And in spite of where the days lead them, I sincerely desire to make our home the place where they feel most safe...their shelter and refuge from this beautiful, harsh, joyful, difficult world we live in.

Hubby and I are in agreement that we want home to be a place where they want to bring their friends as well.  We realize this could be a bit of an investment.  But, creating a place that they want to be is worth it to us.

If only cheap garage sale/thrift store toys would thrill them forever...we're saving our pennies now for the days when entertaining our kids gets a bit more spendy.

And if home is where they're going to want to be...Hubby's going to have to work at not acting quite so embarrassing....

But they won't always want to be here.  And when they're not, I want them to feel that tug that tells them that this is the place they are most loved....most cherished...most adored....most accepted.  I want the idea that home is a beautiful place to be chiseled on their hearts.  

So, we're working on that...one memory at a time.  With every kiss, every smile, every touch, every opportunity to light up when they walk in the room.  Even when we're tired and cranky.  We're doing our best to make an effort to make this space one of abundant joy.

The physical building that we live in will probably change at some point.  We love our house, but its likely that we won't be here forever.  

Regardless, wherever home is...there's no where I'd rather be.