"Home" for the Holidays

Three states in one year...that's got to be something of a record, even for a Richards.  Here I am, back in Washington state (but in a new town, Federal Way) and living with my parents again.  But this time I have the whole downstairs to myself.  Also, we are staying in this nice house for several months until next summer, by which hopefully I will be on my way to Ireland--Lord willing, if I raise all my support.  It's fun to have my stuff back after being separated from it for most of 2010.  Guess what I had the most of?  Around thirty boxes....of....BOOKS!

Anyway, so I'm in a new place, settling in and unpacking.  We had two Thanksgivings last week, one with neighbors across the street (whose relatives own the house we are living in at the moment) and then another with family on Saturday.  A couple of my cousins out here have kids--little kids, under three.  It was so much fun chasing them around the house; they are ADORABLE. 

I had this whole other post written about going "home" and how that's such a loaded term for me.  Can you call a place home if you've never lived there before and are only going to be there a few months?  Can you call a place you lived home if you were only there less than a year?  What is home, anyway?  They say it's "where the heart is," but what if your heart is in many places?

I mean, I still miss Pittsburgh.  I still root for the Steelers, as silly as that sounds; it's a little bit of continuity for me.  I didn't get to know Austin the town very well, but I did meet some very cool folks there whom I will miss (but hopefully keep in touch with).  I still miss Ireland.  I have been so many places and met so many people, worked with so many kids, sometimes it can be a little overwhelming to look back on my life and try to figure out how it all fits together.

But then again, I'm here now, and maybe that';s what matters most.  The present, not the past, or the future.  Maybe I need to focus on the here and now for a bit and enjoy this time with family.  Because as temporary as it might be, for today, this is home.