One summer when I was in high school, I rented Gone With the Wind. It's a classic and I wanted to see what all the hubbub was about. When it was finished I distinctly remember calling my mother at work and complaining that I had just wasted 3 hours of my life and I wanted them back. I would have gladly turned off the movie at any time but I kept thinking that somehow Scarlett would get it together and figure it out. I mean, if she didn't, why did everyone love this movie so much? And at the very end her husband gets fed up with her and leaves. Suddenly she realizes that she truly loved him all along. Just as you think she's about to take off after him she says,"I'm going to Tera (or however you spell it)." What??!!? Are you kidding me? I was NOT impressed
So we are happily nestled all snug in our beds. At long last. Most of the boxes are empty. (Although Tom has constructed some towering monument in the garage defying me to give away even one) Moving is painful. You think that this being my 12th move in 10 years I would know that. I remember. But we are all healthy and happy to be in our new home. We actually got to put up Christmas decorations today and tomorrow we will decorate the tree! The kids are settling in well. Madie likes her class and teacher. There are some very nice kids right down the street to play with. There are also a couple that are Logan's and Luke's ages also. Plus you just can't beat living 2 blocks from your sister. Stacy got married one month after me and we lived a block apart for six months. It is one of my favorite times. We always talk about it. Once we went over to watch Armaggedon at their house. Stacy had these enormously cool (that is enormous AND cool) glasses. She dared Tom to drink an entire glass of water. Can't turn that down. She then challenged him to a second glass. (shot's for Mormon's?) So the whole movie poor Tom had to get up and keep going to the bathroom. Then the climax of the movie came. You know, the one where Bruce Willis sends Ben Affleck back to Earth to take care of his daughter so he can die to save the Earth? Yeah that one. Well if you know me at all I'm a crybaby at best. Well, this movie was my all time worst. I sobbed. And sobbed. It was as if Bart DeGiorgio was on the moon and saving the planet for me. (yes, I'm more than a little embarassed when it is brought up but given that it's discussed in it's entirity at least 2 to 3 times a year I've learned to put on a brave face and laugh at me too).
So a short story made long, living so close to Stacy now is like a continuation of the fun times that we had before. Only now we get to add in the kids which makes it that much better. (psst Robbie. If you move to North Ogden we promist to hang out all day and Holly will be home all evenings and weekends! Just think about it, we need her to complete the carebear dreams!)
Madie and I were driving to pick up my nephew Parker for school. Looking out over Ogden valley it was breathtaking. So I was recounting to Madeline all of the things that make the foothills of Benlomond the best place on Earth. This, is home. No matter where we've lived, we always called this home. We never went to Utah for vacation, we went HOME for vacation. And there is some beautiful and healing about being at home again. And now I know why Scarlett O'Hara went to Tara. Because when her life was a mess, and she needed stability, time to heal and pick herself up go, she went home. Because that is what being home does for you.
So I still don't like the movie. But I can understand it
