Home Again...

But where is home really? This is the question I was pondering as I was chauffeured around the island where my Joshua grew up. The soundtrack of our trip was full of "I love it here!" and "There's nowhere else like this!" with a few questions of "Isn't it so beautiful?!" played on repeat. I know Josh and I were in the same place, seeing the same things, but still he saw so much more then I. Where there was only rolling green hills haloed by soft fog to me, he saw endless childhood memories and vignettes of who he used to be. Where I saw exciting new adventures and imagined what could be, he saw his family history and all that ever was. And as much fun as I was having, (which, trust me, was a LOT), I could not help but feel like I was missing out on the best part of being in Hawaii. When we went to all the places that I've heard Josh and his family mention hundreds of times, I felt like I was finally meeting those long lost friends that everyone misses so much, but still I did not know them well enough to love them. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to visit Josh's childhood home and to be in that amazing place that he cherishes so dearly. And now I finally understood why Josh was never as excited as I was whenever we visited Oregon. :) He will never love Oregon how I love Oregon and I will never love Hawaii the way he loves Hawaii. That's just the way it is. But this makes me so grateful that we live in Washington and can spend time in either place, introducing each other to all the reasons why we each love our home state...