Blessed Days...In His Hands: "home" again.

We returned home this week from a month long trip. A wonderful trip filled with lots of new sights and sounds and many familiar ones as well.

I always like to take stock upon returning home. It is the best time, I feel to re-evaluate. One notices things in their home that weren't noticed before because we get used to living certain ways with certain things. I like to unpack and purge and clean as I go. Because as time goes, that noticing fades and you begin to live settled again amongst your things.

I also like to look back at my trip and forward at what is ahead and waiting for me at home. I used to do this on the plane. Contemplatively sitting with my brown leather journal upon my lap. Now baby sits on my lap with two beside me. It is usually enough to get through the trip all of us fairly happy, fed, somewhat rested, with as little noise as possible so as not to disturb those with journals on their laps.

Bringing a pillow for my lap for these little toes was
the best decision!

Treat from Lou lou!!

I had my 18 minutes of a movie. I was so excited
as I had two asleep and I was ready to dive in.
Not long after I heard, 'We will be coming around
to collect your media players..."

So after three days home I am now before this space (blog) to try and unwind. The days leading up to our departure were anxiety filled. Deveraux came down with the stomach flu. Strangely, this has been happening for the last several trips. It is met with sadness and frustration that we are stopped in our fun "we must see everything" tracks. Deveraux is patient with her body and I admire the way she moves through it. I would pray through this anxiety in the middle of the night after she would wake me up. Fearful of the rest of us getting sick or having to face a travel day (without Drew) with stomach flu was daunting. But prayers were answered. We were well and travel day was mostly good. Cambria on the second flight began to feel feverish. Not until we returned home and on the second day taking her to the doctor we realized she had Hand, Food, and Mouth disease. Disease feels like a big scary word. It is not a scary disease...Just so very uncomfortable, sleep depriving, exhausting, "she can't tell me how she feels because she is a baby, and we "cannot hang out with anyone' kind of disease.

Deveraux also has contracted the virus, her symptoms have seemed worse and longer lasting. She has been so uncomfortable with itching and as a result interrupted sleep and I miss her spunky helpful self.

So the unwinding I wanted from stepping off of the plane into my husbands arms has been delayed. Days have been filled with baby holding, unpacking, and middle of the night tending. In some ways holding off on seeing people and being able to unpack, clean up, and take back my home has been cathartic. I always feel I somewhat "swaddle" two worlds. So the time I have integrating back into Maui life is always welcomed.

I am glad to be back amongst our things and I so enjoy making a home beautiful and live in our rhythms that make our family culture. Look forward to implementing some new ideas and learning's for homeschool. I need to be careful not to isolate. I need to be aware of ingratitude and those longings for things like a fall season, closer community, and not living on an island that breed discontent and make me wallow.

Home is where the heart is. Thus my heart is here with these four. My first home. I just also happen to have several second homes with the other people I love and so my heart spreads out a bit.