31 Days: Homesick Blues

The year we made our first corporate relocation, I had to visit home nine times in a twelve month period.

Nine.

Home was Michigan. Our new home was St. Louis. That is an eight hour trip on a good day. That is also a twelve hour trip on the day before a major holiday like, say, Thanksgiving.

There were weddings, funerals, surgeries, holidays, family reunions, birthdays.

I could not miss a single one.

Truly, I was not prepared for the depths of my homesickness.

I made the journey with a two-year old in a car seat, a labrador panting in the back, two preteen sons plugged into their video games, and the Wiggles blaring on the stereo. To this day, if I hear a Wiggles song, it makes me a little car sick.

One thing that surprises you about home relocation...you will grieve your former life. You will mourn the loss of big things like family, friends, and church. You will also mourn the loss of little things...your favorite cafe, the shop with all of the cool home interior stuff, that restaurant where you always celebrated your anniversary.

Until you have reestablished a life in your new town, you will have to do whatever it takes to keep going. If that means calling your mother every day, you will do it. If it means visiting family for every vacation day, you will do it.

Today, the Lord has placed me in a town that is an easy four hour drive on the turnpike. What a joy it is to hop in my car at breakfast and make it home to see family by lunchtime.

I have to say that we've come a long way in the home relocation process. I still love to visit my family at every possible occasion, but I also like to make special moments for our own little family here at home. We no longer go home for every holiday and birthday and special occasion. But we do make an effort to attend them when we can.

This weekend, we've gone home to Michigan for my nephew's wedding. It will be a wonderful opportunity to see all my brothers and sisters, their children and their children's children. It will also be a nice time to catch up with Mom before the holidays kick in to full gear here at our house.

Here's a sweet little wedding card that I made today, using my new stamps from WPlus9!

A sweet sentiment for the inside, and...

...a little frame for the envelope, too.

Tell me, have you ever been homesick? What have you done to help in the coping process?