Home

When standing at our front door, you will find yourself greeted by this:


Welcome home.

I used to hate this little gnome, and I swore I would get rid of him as soon as we moved in. But three and a half months later, I guess he's growing on me.

We've been in Grand Cayman for almost 5 months now. It's hard to believe. In many ways, the time has flown by. I'm constantly saying how fast the days, weeks, months go by here. But then it also seems like an eternity till our next visitors, our next trip home, and our return to the states. I miss our Cincinnati home every day, but am reveling in the time we have been given here. I'm amazed to say it, but Grand Cayman is a "home" now too.

Home is where you hang your laundry


Home is where your puppy sleeps


Home is where your puppy beseeches with squinty eyes, will you please put that camera down?


Home is wherever I'm with you

On Friday Brent and I took Walter for a sunset walk on the beach. I love this part of my new home. Cross the street (don't forget to look right-left-right), walk down the path, and you're there.


Brent looking back to see what's taking me so long. Apparently, Walter's not the only one who gets sick of my picture-taking.


Can you believe this is real?


You know the Rascal Flatts song Summer Nights - "Flip flop tans and some white sand, I know the perfect spot." Ringing true.


Nothing calms and soothes like sunsets on the beach. As soon as I step on that sand, a million pounds is lifted from my shoulders. A friend from our old small group wrote Psalm 139:9 in a note before we left, and I think of it often. "If I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."


Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but this isn't such a bad place to settle.


Eventually I made Brent and Walter take a seat so I could snap some wave shots without getting too far behind. Brent said, "You don't want to walk, you just want to take pictures." Haha, busted. My true motivation for a walk on the beach is revealed. And of course, I had to capture the faces in my "home."


It's true - as long as I'm with Brent, I'm home. But I'll take the rest of this too.


Yes indeed, this home is pretty amazing.

Laugh until we think we'll die, barefoot on a summer night
Never could be sweeter than with you
And in the streets we're running free, like it's only you and me
Geez, you're something to see
Home, let me come home
Home is wherever I'm with you

- "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros