Home in Utah

Isn't this so fun learning from all these incredible women what it feels like to be "home"? Today meet my friend Tricia. We lived in the same "house" as newlyweds; John and I had the upstairs apartment and Lee and Tricia had the basement. Our oldest kids were born 7 weeks apart. Our husbands were fraternity brothers. Tricia and I go way back...I love the way Tricia orders her life. She puts her faith and her family first, her service to others next, and herself dead last. In all she does; family activities, home decorating, travel, anything, her thoughts are for how her actions will express love to her husband and children and how she will honor God. Here is what she thinks of when she thinks of the concept of "Home";

I grew up in the same house from birth to 13 then our second home till I was married. I grew up with the same friends and felt very secure in my neighborhood. So the ideal situation in my mind was buy a home and stay there forever to raise my kids. I am not adventurous and the thought a moving around a lot terrifies me. So when bought our first little home, I had no intentions of ever leaving. But two years later we ended up in Africa. I did not want to go but knew it was right. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. We came back to the same home and have added a bit to it to accommodate our growing family. We now have six kids. Ideally, I would still love to grow old in this house, in my neighborhood with all my friends and my children's friends. But I know that being with my family is what makes me home, so come what may and we will love it.

Here are some pictures of "Home". They are definitely not to showcase my decor.
This one is of Thanksgiving. I love my kitchen because it can fit a lot of people and we love to have family around. We pretty much have every family gathering at our house because we can all fit. Another picture is of our traditional Valentine's Dinner, Spaghetti on the Table. Having traditions that your kids look forward to are very important. It keeps your family close. It is nice when your kids prefer to do something as a family over something with their friends. I'm surprised sometimes at how much these traditions mean to my kids (ya know, if you accidentally forget to do something). This picture is of my kids sledding on the side of our home. We have a very big yard and I expect my kids to work and take care of it and to have fun in it. We did some major landscaping in our yard and I had this hill built for the purpose of sledding in the winter and Slip-n-sliding in the summer. The entire neighborhood has throughly enjoyed that hill. This is a picture of our family.

Our routine is made up of many things. Responsibilities, Jobs, nightly scripture study and prayer morning and night. Along with fun traditions. And I also believe that knowing I am always here, waiting for them to come home from school makes my kids know they are "Home" and gives them peace.

I can't choose a favorite story, but I have a story that made me really think about the concept of home. We were sent to So. Africa to live for a couple years for my husband's work. My kids were 6, 4 and 18 months and I was pregnant with our 4th. We loved our time there and made wonderful friendships that will last forever. But when it was time to return home, I was excited to be back in my own home, surrounded by family and those friends and neighbors that I loved. After being home in Utah for a few months, my third child, then almost 4, asked, "When are we going back home?" This question confused me, because we were home. He then started mentioning his friends in So.Africa and I realized that he was so young when we previously lived in this house that this move back, was not coming home for him, but leaving home. And when I think of the wonderful friends that I made there and wonder if I'll ever see some of them again, I get very home sick for that home as well.

Pondering on my time there, one piece of advice does pop in my head. When you are in a home, especially one you know is temporary, you need to treat it like it is permanent. Follow your routines, maintain and establish new traditions, and make lasting friendships with those around you. If you act temporary, you'll be treated temporary and there is nothing sadder or more lonely than not feeling apart of your community.