Its Good To Be Home.

The old saying that "home is where the heart is" never made much sense until recently. I always thought it meant that its where you grew up (Long? or Meadowsong?), where your family lives (but not really anymore), the bedroom you grew up in (but has since been turned in to an "office")... but what I'm learning is, home is not a physical location.

I went back to the great Northwest for Christmas and had a really nice time with family and friends. I did a whole lot of good ol' fashioned NOTHING. Hanging with nephews, heart-to-hearts with my sister, walking the dogs, playing in the snow, dinners with the family. It felt so good to be back... This is home.

For New Year's Eve, I headed up to Seattle to spend time with a great group of friends from all over. Friends that make you feel just good about life. Everyone is always in such good spirits because they are just genuinely good people at heart. We smile, we hug, we laugh, we cuddle, we drink, we dress up in ridiculous costumes... This is home.

Then I came back to Arizona, with my dog who has been away from me for 5 months. It was almost 9 years ago that he first came into my life and I honestly don't know what I would do without him. He's always been there for me, when I'm happy or sad or lonely... This is home.

And now I'm back in Arizona... and the real question is -- is this home? I've been challenged by a few people on what my motives were to move to AZ. All I know is that I have friends down here that I absolutely love with all my heart. Friends that when you meet, you know right away they'll be in your life forever. Friends who have been more loyal and supportive then people I've known my whole life. And that, that is enough reason to be here. So you know what? Yeah, this IS home.

So here's to 2010 - and realizing that home can be anywhere you make it. And home can be a lot of different places. Home is where your loved ones are, where you feel familiar and comfortable. Where you don't have to be anyone but your crazy, intimidating, emotional, adventurous, fun-loving self.