Day 28: Home Sweet Home

I did not think I would say this.

Especially as a 28 year old mother of two, living at home {again} with my husband, but…

I couldn’t wait to get home to my house this morning. 

My parents house, that is.

Because for right now {and for the past 6 months}, it is our house too.  Our home sweet home.

We were invited by a sweet couple we know to stay in their house while they cruise the Caribbean. 

Of course we would rather have stayed in their cabin while they cruised the Caribbean, that wasn’t an option. 

So their house was the next best thing.

This is not the first time we have been offered an “escape”, and we so appreciate the sentiment.  The sympathy people feel for our current situation is very thoughtful.  And we understand why they think we would jump at the opportunity to live outside of our shared room/nursery/office, community-style boarding in my parents house.

And oddly enough, I’ve turned down the last two offers to have a temporary home to ourselves for a few days.

And now I know why {kudos to a mother’s instinct!}

I have a curious, adventurous two year old who lives to explore her world.  And other peoples homes.  Other people, inevitably, have pretty breakables, edible Christmas tree ornaments, and glitter within reach. 

This makes for a somewhat stressful “escape”.  After a few hours, I wish to escape from our escape.

I also happen to have a 4 month old who is getting terribly bored with sitting and laying down.  He would much rather spend his expanding awake time by stretching his little legs and standing.  Rattles, teethers and other baby bling are also needed now to keep him stay entertained.  This involves being held and played with the entire time, or lugging all his enormous baby accoutrements along.  This is not an option, really.

Needless to say, this makes for a somewhat exhausting
“escape” and, after a few hours, I wish even more to escape from our escape.

Oh, to be back in our comfortable {albeit cramped} quarters where the toddler runs free {mostly} and the bambino is entertained.

Why did we leave here again?  Oh yes, to get away from all the other people {aka. 3 other family members} and to enjoy some alone time.

If it hadn’t taken Joe ages to get Alathea to bed {she cried and cried her little eyes out because she didn’t want to sleep in this strange house, in the big, big girl bed} and if I hadn’t fallen asleep part-way through the movie {hmmm, romantic}, I’m sure it would have been fabulous.

It probably would have helped to have taken some food.  And milk.  And clothes.  I threw our toothbrushes, their diapers and Aiden’s meds into a bag and we walked out the door.  In my stubborn effort to not feel the stress of having to pack a ton of stuff to drive down the road {they only live 5 minutes from my parents}, we were hungry and disgruntled.  And I smelled like baby vomit.

So we’re back again.  We boycotted the remainder of our “escape” for the simple joys of home.

When I walked grumpily past my mom this morning, antsy{hungry} children in my arms, bags on my shoulders, looking rather forlorn…my mom smiled sweetly and with a wink said, “welcome home, sweetie”.

What a great reminder last night was.  While I may not be in my own home, while I didn’t get to nest and create a haven for our latest arrival, while our lives may be boxed up in an enormous storage container in North Lansing…this is home.

And I love it!