Songs of Home

 These days, music is hard for us.  I think no other sensory input brings up emotion quicker for me and Wes than music.  Just a few bars, and our eyes are filled with tears and we start melting.  It seems to overwhelm Wes each time – he seems okay, then looks at me, opens his arms and climbs into my lap.  Oh, how I love our sweet boy.

 This weekend, Greg and I had a lovely night away at the Salish Lodge for our anniversary.  At dinner on Friday night, we sat in the Attic bar and had a table with a beautiful view of the Snoqualmie Falls.  There was a singer in the bar that evening, and he played many of the classic hits from the 70s that we love – those great songs that can be sung with a guitar, where you know all of the words having learned them during childhood (in my case, listening to KJR on our little transistor radio in our playroom).

 The singer took a break, and came back as our dinner arrived.  His first song after the break was “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles.  One of our favorites, but also one that in seconds brings tears to my eyes.  Our kids are never far away, and that evening we were reminded of our Hannah again and again.

 Upon our return to Seattle on Saturday morning, we confirmed that WE ARE MOVING HOME TO BAINBRIDGE ISLAND!  We had been waiting for a few details to fall into place, and now everything has come together.  Our plan is to be on the island in the middle of August to get settled a little before Wes starts first grade at Wilkes Elementary.  We are thrilled to be coming home.

 “Home is wherever we are if there is love there, too”.  We first heard Jack Johnson’s song HOME in the Curious George movie with Wes.  In fact, Jack Johnson was the first musician that Wes knew by name and would request when we had our impromptu dance parties.  This song seems so fitting for us – we’ve made home wherever we’ve been – responding to life and being willing to migrate.  It feels like such a treat to return to the home that we never intended to leave (and that we didn’t appreciate until it wasn’t ours any longer).  We are grateful for the family that kept our house a home over the past year, and look forward to rediscovering all that the island offers.  We are also thankful for the family that let us create a home in this wonderful 100-year-old house in Seattle.  It will be forever in our hearts.

 For our Seattle friends, please reach out in the coming weeks – we’d love to get together and spend time in the city with you (and of course, you are welcome to visit us on the island!).  For our island friends, we can’t wait to be with you again.

 As Jack sings,

 I gotta get home there’s a garden to tend
All the seeds from the fruit buried and began
Their own family trees, teach them thank you and please
As they spread their own roots then watch the young fruit grow again
This old trail will lead me right back to where it begins

So I try to understand what I can’t hold in my hand
And whatever I find, I’ll find my way back to you
And if you could try to find it too
‘Cause this place has overgrown into waxing mood
Home is wherever we are if there’s love here too