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You've all been very patient with me over the past several weeks as my postings have been more and more infrequent.  Please accept my sincere apology!

My only excuse to offer is that I've been a little distracted, as Alan and I have recently learned that we'll be moving once again.

It's all for positive reasons.   Although we've only lived in our current home for a little over a year, Alan's company is transferring him to a much busier area, and one that is highly coveted by his colleagues.  It's near Nashville, TN, where Alan's company's home office is located. The offer was a tremendous testimony to the fantastic job he's doing, and proof of how pleased the "Higher-Ups" are with his work.  As soon as our current home in York, PA sells, we will be packing up and heading back down South.

This is relatively easy for Alan.  One could definitely say that he and his two brothers were exposed to a very nomadic upbringing as children. Because of his Dad's job, they were constantly packing up and moving to the next town, forced to make new friends and adjust to each new school along the way.  I've often said that although it may have been hard on him, the experience has really served Alan well in the long run.  He is incredibly adaptive and makes friends easily, wherever he goes.

I, on the other hand, lived in the same home near Cleveland, Ohio, from the age of six months until I left for college at eighteen.  My brother bought that house from my parents, so I can still visit and recall the wonderful memories created there.  So, you can imagine, I'm not as skilled at the whole "uprooting process" as my dear husband.  I love this house, as well as the birds and critters that visit daily and have helped make it "home."

But as I've packed the boxes and prepared each room for "showing" over the last several weeks, I've realized something else.  Alan is my home.  Wherever he and I are together, that's home.  I know.  It's ridiculously corny, but there it is.  Do you have someone like that in your life?  Someone who grounds you, no matter what the atmosphere may be like around you?  That's Alan for me.

Billy Joel wrote a song that expresses this much better than I. This is an oldie of his, called "You're My Home," and this particular video is from a concert back in 1976.  He's not an awesome performer, and I hate that he NEVER smiles, but my hope is that you'll focus on his lyrics, because they are tremendously lovely.

Here's one of my favorite lines:

"Well, I'll never be a stranger
And I'll never be alone.
Wherever we're together
That's my home."

Gets me every time!!

So, my dear friends, I promise to try harder, but I'm afraid I'll continue to be a tad distracted in the coming weeks.  Please bear with me!  In the meantime, let's watch Billy together and think about the awesome people in our lives that remind us what's really important, OK?  (You may have to click and go to stupid YouTube again, but I promise it's worth the effort!)