Running Home

A few weekends ago, DH, DS2 and I ran up to the Upper Peninsula to visit DD2.  Parents' Weekend for her college is coming up later in October, but due to DH's travel schedule for work, we won't be able to go.  So, we scheduled our own 'parents and brother weekend', and did a quick three-day trip to visit her, as well as the surrounding countryside that the three of us yearn to live in. (Her college is the same one DS2 just graduated from this past May.)

As DH put it, shortly after we arrived on a Friday evening, "I feel like I've come home."  Which is exactly how I feel every time I've visited this particular portion of God's Earth, since we moved away from it in late May of 1993 after DH's own graduation from that college.

It is home.  It is comfortable. It is comforting. It is where my heart knows I belong.

Not that we don't love it at this little place here.  But, truthfully, we've always considered this little place here our temporary home, just until the kids grew up and DH can retire.  Requirement one now done: the kids have grown up.  As soon as requirement two is met (mortgage paid off, and enough in savings for DH to retire), we're outta here; off to the UP!

I took lots and lots of pictures while we were there most recently; memories to help tide me over until I can get back again, one of these times for good.

our hotel room had the most awesome black and white photos of Upper Peninsula scenery as decor

left-facing view atop the local ski hill

front and center view from ski hill

(DD2, DS2 and I later walked down the ski run from the top to the base,

 where DH picked us up at the road--he drove down)

right-facing view from the ski hill

Campus

hiking at Hungarian Falls

just a trickle here, but further up. . .

the upper fall

they didn't know I was taking their picture

Misery Bay

Agate Beach

close up of breaking wave

I told you this is where my heart is

view from the boardwalk of the wetland natural area

(DD2 had a lab class here earlier that week)