So Long, Saddlebrook

Ok, so I'm gonna attempt to do the speediest post of my life because I've been doing this long enough to know if I don't do it now I will completely forget to later on today.

So the latest is that, at last, the weekend has come for Joe's parents to visit, which is pretty awesome, although I seem to have retained some of that old fashioned "must impress the in-laws" mentality where I want to make sure everything is perfect. It's kinda unwarranted because A.) they are totally relaxed and easy-going fun people and B.) Ummm they AREN'T my in-laws. Even so, Joe and I busted our asses all day yesterday cleaning and organizing our madhouse of a townhouse to make sure it was not only livable but comfortable. And I must say, it did turn out pretty well.

I walked down to the kitchen this morning to let Georgia out, and I suddenly got this warm-cozy feeling. To finally see the place pretty much all set up, with our pictures and art up, and all the furniture laid out, it allowed me to take a final breath and say, "Ahh, I'm home." The feeling began yesterday when Joe's mom and I went back to the old place one more time. She had never seen it, so we walked around the once packed apartment into the open space that I hadn't seen in two years. I realized just how small it had been, and yet at the time we got it, we figured it would be plenty of space.

We walked down to the rental office to drop off the keys, showing her the pool area and explaining all the little alcoves that held some sort of memory. I had to basically shove the stupid keys into the Rent Drop box, smiling at the irony of how even now, with no claim to us anymore, Saddlebrook still liked to mess with us. Oh well.

We walked back to the car, and with a final look to old place we drove out. I did experience some feelings of melancholy. Even Joe joked, saying, "I know you. Even though we were sick of this place you are going to feel sad about leaving and say, 'It wasn't so bad'". He was right. Even though we will still find reasons to go through the neighborhood, it won't be the same. After two years of living somewhere (which, in rental terms, seems like a long time) you can't help but feel connected to the place. Maybe not completely with the actual apartment, but the neighborhood for sure. There's the place Joe filmed the Christmas movie, there's my running route, there's the Target we always went to, there's the place I first tried Indian food. So many memories that I'll take with me, but won't ever be able to really visit again.

I don't know if I could call it home. I still have a hard time calling ANYWHERE in Maryland home. And yet, this new place, it feels the closest to home than any other place I've lived. We have to do more exploring, rediscover Towson as adults instead of as students. But there are more memories to be made here. The holidays and seasons we have yet to experience here will become rich with memories...and then maybe I can call it home.