Home

This time of year never fails to muster up all types of feelings of reflectiveness, thankfulness, gratefulness, joyfulness and even a touch of "home-sickness". Such was the case this past weekend as I thought about all the deer hunters filing into my mom's house back in Minnesota for opening weekend--blaze orange everywhere and the aroma of some serious good-cookin' overwhelming the senses as one steps through the front door. Memories flooded my mind. With the holidays lingering right around the corner the tears are lingering as well...not sure I've made it through a Thanksgiving or a Christmas without at least one rolling down my cheek. But, in the midst of that home-sickness there is a whole lot of thankfulness!! Just last night as I listened to my boys wrestling with their daddy, I became even more grateful for my four boys and the home Andy and I have been building for our three sons inside these four walls.
                             (notice the progression of shirts on.....then off they came!)

                            (the boys LOVE wrestle time with daddy)

So for fun, I'll pose the question--What is home to you?? You often hear phrases like "home is where the heart is" among many others--home to some is a certain smell, a particular look, quite simply a place. As I think about this whole over-arching concept of "home", I am reminded that no matter how many houses the five of us may occupy, that wherever God may takes us as we continue on in our journey of living a life of faith, each one will bring us one step closer to our eternal HOME with Him!! Yes, the tears will more than likely still fall--(ok, who am I kidding, they will fall this holiday season)--yet they will be greatly accompanied with smiles and joy and laughter. I'm already excited about the traditions we've started in this home and can't wait to carry them out once again. I'm anticipating the new ones we will implement. The Christmas lists are being formulated. The baking has begun. The weather is turning. The memories keep multiplying. I guess you could say, that while on this earth, when I'm with all my boys, I'm home. Complete. A unit. Whole. 
                                                     (the list making has begun!)

CJ and Mason

I "found" Mason in our bed....goof ball! :)

 This sits on my kitchen window sill and it appears in my line of vision a few times a day. It's been a daily reminder for me to offer up a little prayer of thanks right there on the spot. Today, it just happened to be for my home.