Homecoming or Coming Home?

This weekend the boys and headed back  "home" to Woodstock for my fifteen year high school reunion. As the miles to Exit 283 became less and less, the rain was quite the opposite. While I hate to admit that the princess neglected to pack her rain boots and asked for a literal raincheck to see the Central Falcons pull through with a W on the books, the boys and I were the ones that got the biggest win of the weekend by catching up with the ones that make it worth, coming home!

Ahma and Granddaddy were able to get their Tripp and Baxter fill in Friday night over pizza, puzzles, and Legos while I had a much needed, did I mention MUCH needed catch up with Catherine and David. 

Saturday morning coffee with your mother, seeing your father in camo, going to the pumpkin patch with friends, and it wouldn't be a homecoming if we didn't have one or more meals at the cafe to catch up with anyone and everyone. 

It wasn't hard to twist our arms to stay another night with a few gator rides on the  farm, dinner with friends and s'mores to top off the night with a campfire. The only problem was my lack of preparation for the 50 degree weather. 

As the boys and I headed back to Charlottesville and I reflected on the many memories we made during the reunions, I thought about the word home and what it means to me.  While we physically live in a home that we love and are so incredibly blessed to have, it's just a physical structure that holds are "things" and keeps us warm (especially on 40 degree Fall nights)! Home isn't a place. It's a feeling. Home is walking into my parents home. A home in which I never lived, but know we are welcome and wanted anytime and more often than we can. And there will always be warm Toll house cookies out of the oven for two special little boys to sweeten the ride. Home is walking into the cafe and not even having to order and my coffee is ready even after moving away. Home is seeing Catherine and Jamie. Home is walking into Suzanne and Kevins house without knocking and knowing that I am going to be embraced when I walk into the kitchen. Home is scooping my pseudo nephew away from the fire and getting and ooey gooey marshmallow smore kiss after! And home is even being home sitting down to the dinner table knowing that part of me is at "home" in South Carolina. It's such a cliche, but it's true, Home is Where the Heart Is. 

Before Friday I was reluctant about Homecoming 2014. A lot can and does happen in 15 fast years. However, after this weekend, I'd like to request to the Central High School class of 1999 to hold yearly reunions and then put in a request for mild rainstorms on Friday night and beautiful Fall weather Saturday and Sunday!! What?!? Is that too much to ask?