There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays

I have really been struggling with the idea of home versus home recently.  I have lived in Texas six and a half years. I have a house and a family here. Yet, I still can't accept this place as my home.  To quote a little  country music here, "My home's in Alabama."  I guess it's the Southerner in me.  I will always be an Alabamian at heart no matter how long I live away from the state and I will always be a native Mobilian.  That is where my roots are and I want to make sure my son knows where he came from.

We aren't going to Alabama for any part of the holidays this year. It's killing me.  Last year we went the weekend before Christmas for a long weekend so we could still be in our house Christmas morning.  But the whole crew from Alabama is coming here this year to celebrate with us since Jenny is 8 months pregnant.  I'm excited about not having to travel with a 5 month old but still sad about not going home.  I haven't been for a visit since April and I won't be back until this April.  I miss my home.  I miss my family.

The first time I heard "I'll Be Home for Christmas" on the radio this year I cried a little.  It just makes me sad.  Sadder even that I have such a little amount of family near by so it isn't like the old days when we used to make the rounds of visiting everyone on Christmas. That tradition died out over the years as we all got older but I still miss it.  This year I will be home by myself with the boys most of the day since Chris has to work.  So, all in all, it's going to be a quiet Christmas. Not really what I had hoped for but it will do.

Comments

Jessica said…
My parents moved down near where we live right before I graduated college. I LOVE having them nearby and being able to see them all the time, but it means I haven't been to my hometown in years. I miss it. It's only a 4 hour drive, but if we went we'd have to get a hotel room or something.
December 23, 2011 at 8:50 AM
Michele Bryson Knear said…
Julie, I understand how you feel. Except for a brief stint in Nashville for school, I lived in AL. We've lived in FL for 7 years now, and it still doesn't feel like home. I love going HOME twice a year, even if it's a brief visit.
January 2, 2012 at 6:49 PM
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