...welcome home...

After sleeping for nearly 12 hours, we rolled out of bed just in time to see the family heading off to church. Disappointed that we couldn't join them, we watched an episode of our new favorite show and then got ready for the day.

We planned to see the hometown St. Patty's Day parade today, as I hadn't gone to many parades growing up and we thought it might be fun. Mummers, many fife and drum bands, Irish dancers, high school bands, girl scout troupes, and other acts filled the streets. I soon realized that most people had come to see their friends and family marching in the parade.

There were no police barriers which left many small children wandering into the middle of the street. Parents were expected to haul their children out of the way of oncoming cars and trucks, a difficult task considering that there was so much candy being strewn about.

Oh, the candy! Is this what parades are all about?

Me and my momma

Candy getting was certainly an exercise in survival-of-the-fittest, with the older children swooping in before the younger children even knew a candy had hit the ground. It was sad to watch...and sort of funny. So I started to pick up some candy and pass it to the little kids in our vicinity.

We left the parade early to see my grandparents and my Uncle Len, a bachelor, who recently retired and moved home to take care of his aging parents. I'm wondering what he'll do with his new found freedom. I'm hoping it will be wonderful.

Then, my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces and nephews came over for a Thanksgiving-style meal. After dinner, we played games, chatted and held an impromptu jam session with a twelve-string guitar and a ganjo (a 6-stringed banjo.) Sara played the twelve-string, DJ the ganjo, with Mia on lap drums, while Anthony, Andy and I tried to figure out some harmonies. Imagine Dragons, Bruno Mars, and Journey were just a few on our playlist. Of course, it was our Amazing Grace harmonies that were most stunning. Or maybe it was our renditions of the ABC's or You Are My Sunshine. I might have the coolest nieces and nephews around.

These are the moments that make me long for home.

Did you stay in your hometown?  If so, what made you stay?  If not, how often do you go back?

While this small, quaint town doesn't hold much, it does hold the hearts of some of the people I love most in this world, and that makes it so very precious.

Have a wonderful start to your week!