There's No Place Like Home!

I have now been home for a little over 24 hours. I was gone for 3+ days...Varsity Choir Tour with my oldest daughter to the east side of the state. We had a great time. Our high school choirs performed, were coached by college profs and got to sit in on some amazing concerts. The only downside of the event was the weather. Apparently no one informed that section of Idaho that it's officially Spring. We were greeted and kept company by snow. On a whole, my family has adapted to the winters in this state much better than springtime. It's a given that winter will be cold - you buck up and hunker down and deal with it. Spring on the other hand is a different sort than what we were used to in So. Cal. My oldest daughter says that Idaho springs are bi-polar. Today is gloriously sunny and somewhat warm. The time spent on tour more closely resembled the north pole! =]

We missed the milder weather on this side of the state. My 16 year old and I also missed home and we were thrilled to walk through the door at 3 am on Saturday...you couldn't tell by our sleep deprived swagger, but inside we were jumping up and down! =] She and I mostly missed the Daddy, (her daddy - my husband) and the Little Sister! But we also missed our own beds, the dog and relaxing on the family room sectional.

It wasn't the house or our stuff that we missed, (even though we really like our house and stuff =]). We missed that sense of family and being where we belong. There is a huge difference between a house and a home. In the almost 20 years that my husband and I have been married our house has taken on various forms...a tiny cottage in an olive grove, an apartment or two, one townhouse, a California Ranch and now our cosy 2 story...but our home has remained consistently the same. A place that we can relax, unwind, be ourselves, laugh, cry, and learn. Our home is not always perfect. Feelings get hurt here and balls are dropped from time to time. But there really is no place like home!

Let me know what you think the difference is between a house and a home. Tell me what 'home' means to you and why you love yours!