home

 After a trip to the park today the boys fell asleep in the backseat.  The park is only 5 minutes from our house and I'm a firm believer in not waking sleeping children, so I just kept driving.  I was facing the mountains and decided to just turn on my "favorites" playlist and head towards the beauty around me.  I got lost in the gorgeous scenery, some good music and my thoughts.

Pretty gorgeous right?  All of these were taken from my car in about a 15 mile stretch.  Pretty much the most beautiful place I have ever lived. Yet....I find myself wanting to move home.

Let me back up a little bit.  I have been interviewing for pretty much a dream job in Oklahoma with pretty much a dream company.  I was drooling as they went over their benefits.  This all started a month or two ago when I was missing home more than normal and I signed on to the career section of this company to see if they had anything.  Really expecting them not to.  And then they did.  And each line on the job description was a perfect match for my background.  So I just applied.  Fast forward a month and they called for a phone screen.  They literally had over 100 applicants and I made it through...even being out of state.  Then there is a video interview.  It goes well.  They go over benefits and relocation. Now I'm waiting for the next step.  But I have been warned that they historically have a very long interview process.  Because right when you are about to possibly uproot you like to wait..right?

So, why would I want to move back to Oklahoma you are wondering?  I don't understand it.  My husband definitely does not understand it.  I haven't lived in OK for over seven years.  I moved to the Dallas area for a job. Met my husband and the Air Force took us to Dayton, OH.  Then the San Francisco Bay area in CA.  Then a job for my husband in the Seattle area in WA.  We have seen and been to some amazing, beautiful places, but there is a hole in me.  As much as we love a new community or make new friends or love our new jobs in new states....there is a hole in me.

With the job glimmering in the horizon, I reached out to a few friends.  Housing, schools, commutes...all these adult things you wonder about when you have kids were going through my mind.  Friends that I haven't talked to in years were eager to help.  No questions, no awkard conversations catching up....we just picked up right where we left off. 

See, there is something about the people from Oklahoma that others don't get.  I have these amazing friends and family.  They aren't amazing as in talented or famous or anything like that, but they are amazing in their hearts.  They are my people.  I keep in touch with about 50% of my high school classmates.  Who can say that?  I want my boys to grow up with their grandparents like I did.  I want my boys to grow up with my friends' kids.  I want my boys to go to the same places I did when growing up.  I get jealous when people post online that they are at my favorite spots.  I almost cry when I hear someone goes to lunch with my grandmother.

Say I get an offer.  Say I take it.  Do I expect my life to be some amazing, drastic change? No. It will be a simple life.  Do I expect to see the family and friends I so desperately miss every day?  No.  But they will be there when we have time. It probably won't be something that others from the outside would look in and think how amazing it must be to live there.  But I'll be complete.  I'll be home.