Trip home. Part One.

Walking into the house you grew up in will forever have the same impact. The most satisfying feeling of familiarity, comfort and warmth. No matter how much I love living with my new little family, it will never be the same at my parents house. You feel love as soon as you walk in the door.

We were lucky enough to get to go home for a week. Everyone in my family knew about this, except my dad. My Dad had no idea. It was so hard keeping it from him since I know he misses us the most.

We got into Seattle at about noon and drove the 2 hours it takes to get up to my parents house. There we got settled and waited for my dad to get home from work. When we saw his headlights flash against the walls we all ran and hid. The little kids were trying their hardest not to giggle while waiting for the door to open.

My Dad walked in, hands full of things he was bringing in from the car, yelling out for my mom since she was nowhere to be seen. On my cue Landon jumped out of his bedroom and yelled "Merry Christmas Papa" as loud as he could. "What? How? but I....." was all I heard before I heard all my dads things hit the floor, then I heard sobbing. Not crying but full sobs coming from my Father. He held Landon in his arms for a few minutes before I walked around the corner to join them. He just held us and wept saying it was the most amazing Christmas present anyone has ever given him.

Later we told him about how hard it was to keep it from him and how EVERYONE knew (even his Father) but everyone had somehow kept it from him for months. And how Mom has been telling little white lies to keep things a secret. "OK hunny I will mail to the box to Kimmie next week I still have a few things to add" When she didn't want to mail it because we were coming, "Landon is going to be in the kids gift drawing this year so he's not left out" because we were going to be at the Christmas party this year or when my mom told him not to pick anything up for dinner (the day we got in) because she already had something out...when really I was there to make him his favorite meal (It's something I made him once a year or so ago and he refuses to make it for himself since it's "Kimmie's dinner") lol. I made him a huge batch that night and he LOVED it!

It was the best feeling in the world being able to do that for my Dad. He has missed us so much and we've missed him. I've gotten so close to my Dad over the past few years. I call him a few times a week just to talk and many more times to get recipes or cook times for dinners I'm making. While we were there he took time off to spend as much time with us as he could. We stayed up late every night talking and watching movies. Landon loved Having his Papa again and hasn't stopped asking when we are going back.

I feel so blessed to have the relationship I do with my Dad (I'm really close with my mom also, she's one of my best friends. But this post was about my Daddy).

I can't wait for this summer when he comes out here and takes 10 days to drive across the country with me and Landon. It's going to be so much fun having all of that time with him.

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday! Part 2 to come later.