home...where my spirit feels at rest.

"Suzanne, did you have some songs you wanted to sing tonight at our house that we didn't get to today?  We'd like to have a time of singing after dinner." 
I didn't know when my uncle asked me this how amazing this moment would be.

"This is my story...this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long!"
The familiar words reverberate in song, harmonies mixing and swelling as hearts praise, some holding books, most by memory.  I close my eyes briefly as I absorb the moment.  When I open them, I am met again with this sight...I can't help the smile that breaks out on my face.

Standing around in a kitchen/dining room that I have spent many hours in over the years.  There are kids perched on bar stools, adults standing and leaning on counters, babies held by teenagers, a few folks seated around the big round table...every face familiar and so, so dear to me.  Among them are cousins, aunts and uncles, my grandma, sunday school teachers, my sunday school students, kids I've babysat, people who have babysat me, friends and most importantly, my brothers and sisters in Christ.  There are a few faces missing, but in general, this group makes up my beloved Altadena church family.

In this moment, Minnesota seems so far away.  My heart is bursting with the goodness that God has given me in this kitchen in Simi Valley.  All of these people are gathered to celebrate my home coming...if even for a visit.  They are eager to hear about details of my life.  Good natured comments about me moving back are tossed about liberally.  But at the end of the day, they each say how happy and grateful they are that I am enjoying my adventure so much.

How can I leave them? I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Minnesota and can't imagine leaving there either...but this...this is my story, this is my song.  And when it comes right down to it, I can do nothing but praise my Savior for it all the day long. 

*sigh*

Here are some pictures from the afternoon. just a few, as I was soaking in the moments as opposed to capturing them with a camera.

The Family Rules hanging in my Aunt/Uncle's dining room.  I like it a lot.

 My cousin and his new wife.  They are so fun!  And quite competitive!

I realize there are a lot of things going on in this picture, so I'll break it down for you.

That is my cousin Seth.  Yes he is younger than me by 7 years.  Yes, he IS taller than me by a good several inches.  Yes, playing this game does require graceful moves like you see me demonstrating there. Because if you can never make it in the hole, you might as well look like you have techniques and how to use them.



This picture is missing David and Asher, but this is, as they say on the streets, "My Crew." 

Seriously, so many laughs, stories, jokes, prayers, tears and heart-sharing among this group right here.  Sitting and talking with these guys is one of the things I miss most about church here in Altadena.

On the left, in the gray shirt is my cousin Jacob.  That kid...wow.  13 years old and is at that wonderful stage of humorous, but also dead serious.  Two quotable moments from Jake this weekend:

First one, we're sitting in the conference room at church talking about how my brother would look without glasses. 

Jake: Yeah Joe, you look MUCH better with glasses.  Besides, when I picture you in my mind, I ALWAYS picture you with glasses on.

Me: So Jake, when you picture me in your mind, how do you picture me?

Jake-gesturing with his hand as if trying to come up with the right word, then stating matter of factly: Mmm...short.

The whole room busted up laughing. He was serious. And yet the way he said it, along with the fact that my height is their favorite thing to tease me about....oh man. priceless.

Scenario 2: We're sitting around the very dinner table you see in the picture above.  My cousin Justin (right hand side, fantastic beard) is trying to convince me how good it would be for me to marry a hog farmer, and that he thinks I'd make a fantastic farmer's wife.  I..disagreed...and told him how I was on an adventure anyway, and had no time for hog farmers.  I had moved away from kith and kin and taken on the great state of MN. 

After a moment of silence, Jacob stares down at his plate, a faraway look in his eye and states wistfully with a sigh, "Someday you'll find yourself another lost soul like yours."  It was so melodramatic and full of hope for my apparently bleak future as a wanderer far from home.

Love that kid.

All of that to say...I couldn't have asked for a better Sunday. 

I couldn't have asked for a better trip home. 
and yet, I'm excited and ready to go...home. 

WHAT?!  Both places are home?  I still can't understand how I can be so content and happy in both locations...so opposite each other. 
A wise man once said, "Home is where your spirit feels at rest."
This means it doesn't matter where you are geographically at all.  home is fluid.  It can be one place or many places. 

There will be more updates from my trip in future blog posts...just wanted to get this one written.