Coming Home

Next to living life with my wonderful husband and my watching my children grow, there is no greater joy than preparing to return "home" after months and years of being away.  The moment the airplane tickets are purchased, the countdown begins.  Lists of the things that need to get done are made, you suddenly gain an extra (much-needed) boost of energy to finish those pending projects at school and home and lastly, the bags are carefully organized, packed and weighed.  The night before no one can sleep from the pure excitement of it all!

The sheer thrill of feeling airplane wheels touching down onto your homeland's soil cannot be expressed with words and the agony of waiting for the seat belt sign to be turned off is pure torture.  You feel like a small child in a candy shop with an unlimited budget and the go-a-head to buy anything you want!  You try and keep yourself under control as people file off the plane like lard-covered turtles, resisting the urge to push them over and bound off the plane!

You find yourself picking up your pace, dragging your kids behind you scanning frantically for those familiar faces and then you see them!  Hugs, kisses and tears are shared and you finally find yourself "home" once again after months of anticipation... you feel whole again.  The ride from the airport is a lively one, people laughing, chatting and catching up!

The days and weeks fly by.  Each day full of visits with friends and family, late night conversations and frantic shopping sprees trying to find all the needed items before you have to return.  Even though you're loving every moment, there's always a tiny hint of sadness lingering in the background because you know how hard it's going to be to say goodbye.

The day finally arrives, although the days have been willed to stop or slow down, suitcases have been reorganized, repacked and reweighed.  Once again, very little sleep is had.  The ride to the airport is quiet, conversations forced, everyone lost in their own thoughts and feelings.    Bags are checked, hugs, kisses and tears are shared.

Then you all  try to find your "normal" all over again, while feeling a deep, aching hole in your heart...until it's made possible to come home again.