There's No Place Like Home.

"And when you figure out 

Love is all that really matters after all

It sure makes everything else

Seem so small."

Carrie Underwood-So Small

That song came on the radio on the 19 hour drive back to Arkansas and I couldn't help but tear up ...( I'm fully aware that I'm totally an emotional wimp). But driving down I-65 those lyrics just rang so true to inching closer home to see all our sweet family and  I was literally aching to hug on my mom and sisters necks ... you too, Weesa. Really, there isn't anything more important than being with those people you love. I really do like our little life in Pennsylvania, there has already been much good ... but I cannot WAIT to get back to Arkansas ... I just love it so much (Duh). Everything else just pales in comparison. Maybe God will change my heart, but I really, really hope not.

So, here's how we got here. Last Thursday my FABULOUSLY wonderful mother-in-law flew all the way to PA to help me drive the munchkins home ... who does that?!?! No, seriously, WHO does that?! My parents graciously offered to fly us home, but I can assure you there was no offering to accompany us on said travels. It is not for the faint of heart (and Mom did just do it a couple months ago, not to mention help me unpack and fill our whole house once we got there, so I guess she's off the hook). So Sunday we finally were up bright and early, finally pulling out of the driveway at 6:28am.We ended up driving a little further than we normally would so that we could stay with my BFF, Caroline and hubby Will, along the way in Nashville, TN (no small thing, SO, so nice of them!).

I was just a weeeee bit excited. 

To add to the glorious event of coming home, I also got to rekindle my fast-food-love-affair with some of my estranged favorites. When we saw the first exit sign showing Chick fil A I had to fight back tears ... It was beautiful. However, my feelings of happiness quickly faded away as I came to the ugly realization that it was Sunday. And Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays. I may have dropped 4-letter word ... Because they were celebrating the Sabbath. *&$%

I have talked to the Lord about it, and we're good now. He forgave me. 

We ended up stopping at McDonald's ... of which I'm really not a fan at all. But check out this Mickey D's:

Craziness. However, I'm pretty sure I seemed equally crazy taking pics of the decor ... but it was just so unusual?!?! Seriously, what is going on here? Crystal-ish chandeliers? A pleather lounge complete with a TV and computer? What happened to the big red cone shaped deal that you dropped your quarter in and watched it go around and around until it finally fell in the bucket for the Ronald McDonald house (anyone, anyone?). I thought that decor was super classy. And philanthropical ... Quit trying to be something you're not McDonald's. Just be true to yourself. Geez.

Moving on ... no pun intended ... Sunday was just an all together lonnnnggggggggg day in the car. Worth it, yes. But it felt never-ending.

Sawyer just practically refused to sleep, and was sneezing non-stop. Pitiful. By the time I got to Cabs house at around 8:30 (but we gained an hour, so it felt like 9:30 to us) We were exhausted ... I didn't even really have energy to visit ... We were beat.

There was a lot of this:

I really don't know why Dalton is out of his carseat ... or why it's on top of all the luggage, dangerously hanging above his head. I think I reached a point of "whatevs" ... but I drew the line with Sawyer getting out of his seat ... thus the 147th breakdown in the the pic.

The next day was muchhhh better. I got sweet Sawyer some Benadryl for his sneezy self and the child slept pretty much the whole 6 hour trek. We also found a Chick fil A before leaving Nashville, so the day was off to a great start. And thennnnn .....

Hip Hip Hooooorayyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!! Definitely cried. Shocker.

We dropped our sweet Maw off at her car and headed on to my parents house ... more tears.

We were greeted by Mom, Dad, Rach, and Emerson and there were again ... lots of tears. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh .................. Wonderful.

No words.

The whole crew came over for dinner Monday night and  Lisa came to visit twice ... I heart her.

It felt surreal to be upstairs with some of my very, very favorite people. In one of my very favorite places. Surreal because in MANY ways, it didn't feel like we'd ever been gone. And then strangely like we'd been gone a very long time. I just kinda hurt thinking about how much I've missed it.

We're just enjoying being home SO much ... I love my peeps. I love Arkansas. And I'm so loving being back.

Here's some more pictures because I just can't ever have enough ... many, many more to come.