This Place That I Call Home

It's no secret to most people who know me well, that I have always wanted to move off and live somewhere else for a while. I love the idea of new adventures, experiencing new places. I love that my mom and I moved to Little Rock for a couple years when I was younger. I have such great memories of that time. I'm thankful for that diversity in my life. I was about this close to going to college in Florida. Thank goodness I didn't, because I met Brent while I was in college in Little Rock. But, oh how I would have loved living near the beach for those few years. And I still dream about Brent and I moving our boys somewhere else. Somewhere bigger, with more to do. More opportunities for them. Just a change. Because I'm one of those rare people who love change.

But then there's little place about 20 minutes north of the Louisiane line. Where life is slow. Where I see trees when I look up, not big city skyscrapers. This little place that I call home. No, there aren't big shopping malls nearby, or major league ballparks for my boys to catch a big game. But there's a pond about 15 minutes from my house, right on the place where I grew up. Where I can drive my boys down in the evening for a night of fishing.
And there's a good chance my Daddy will be right there fishing with them. And just perhaps, like they were this weekend, my grandparents will be out in a little boat on the pond with poles in hand as well.
And my baby boy playing on a quilt under a big oak tree.
And his cousin showing up a little while later to join him on that quilt.
It's times like that when I realize just how lucky I am to still live at home. In the country. Just minutes away from our family.I'm so thankful that those are the memories my children will carry with them. I don't know where their paths will take them. Maybe far away from this place. Or maybe not. But their roots will always be here. In south Arkansas. And that's perfect to me. And as if a night of fishing with cousins and grandparents and great grandparents wasn't enough, a couple nights later we packed up the mini-van with jackets and hats and spent the evening at my mom's around a big fire roasting hot dogs and making s'mores!

I hope my boys have lots of adventure in their lives. I hope they see many many places. I hope they embrace change. But I also hope they remember those evenings spent on the dock at their mama's homeplace. And I hope they remember their Noni building a big fire and setting up the perfect weenie roast. Just for them.I'm sure I'll always have that tug in my heart to move off and be adventurous. And that's ok. Everyone has those things they wish they had done...and maybe we still will! But I'm also so very thankful for this place that I call home.