Going Home

Yesterday, I purchased my ticket to go back home for 18 days.

For nearly four years I've lived abroad in a country I was always fascinated with, but never actually thought I'd live in. I've been embraced by the people in the town I now call home and they have certainly helped in my quest to make a new life for myself. I love my job, but more importantly, the people I work with, and for. I have such an amazing group of friends now that it actually brings a pain to my heart to know that someday, I will have to say good-bye to them as well.

I've been totally enveloped in the love of Andy's family, especially his parents. His children are another matter - I have come to love his children like my own and I know the feelings are reciprocated in full, at least with the boys. Natasha and I are slowly but surely finding our way.

In this new world, I have settled into a life that I never envisaged for myself, primarily having stepchildren, but it is a life I choose to live, not only because I love my husband and would do anything for him, but because now I could never imagine being without them. I realize that wherever I may go I will have the love and support of my husband and our family. The fact that I get to share this amazing new existence with the love of my life is astounding. Not very many people are this fortunate.

Andy always promised me that he would back me 100% in all my endeavours, and one very important wish of mine was to ensure I got to go home to Nova Scotia at least once a year. So far, he has kept that promise to me. We are lucky enough to be able to travel often and I look forward to every place that is yet to be discovered by the two of us. We've already been to quite a few countries but here is where I tell you, I never, ever get the feeling down deep inside of me that I have at this very moment, when I'm holding the ticket in my possession that will take me home.

Home to my first family, my mother and father and my precious sisters and brother. To the people who have known me my whole life, and if not that long, than for the better part of it. Home to all my oldest friends and places where I have some of my best memories. Home to breathe the fresh coastal air and walk in the places that I can only dream of doing from so far away, especially during one of my favourite seasons (autumn isn't so noticeable in this part of the world). Home to where I fell in love with the man who would end up taking me so far, but in so many variant and positive ways.

My heart is bursting and I just want to shout it aloud:

I'm going home :)