I’m coming home.

A lot of places have been “home” over the past few years. Dorm rooms and houses with my best friends, an apartment in New York as a newlywed, a townhouse in Georgia with one child and now a house in Georgia with two children. But “home” has really only ever been one place… Cleveland, Ohio. Born and raised;the place where I grew up, met my husband, welcomed my son into the world, and really became the person I am today. Of course I’ve learned important life lessons along the way and had to adjust to living in different places,  but Cleveland has always been home to me.

There are so many things I love about Cleveland, the first being that my family is there. And although I’ve made a life in Georgia and made this my temporary home, it’s not home. My parents, my brother, my aunts and uncles, my cousins… they’re all in CLE. My high school, my favorite spots, my first jobs… those are all there too. It’s there that I learned to work hard and be passionate about my work. Where I learned how to love and how to deal with a broken heart. Where I learned to walk, talk, dance, run, drive, study, and be a good person. And although it’s not the only place that’s molded me into the person I am, it’s a huge part of it.

I can’t wait to go home this week. I’m ready for sushi dates, Christmas Eve (and Christmas Eve Eve) traditions, catching up with family and friends, and sharing all of this with my husband and kids. Funny fact? My husband grew up 10 minutes away from me and even went to the same college, but we wouldn’t meet until after we both had graduated. So not only is Cleveland my home, it’s his too. Because as a child that moved around a lot, that was the place he stayed for the longest time and where he considers home to be. We have dates planned and plan to take advantage of the fact that we will have built-in babysitters (thanks Mom and Dad). But it’s where we fell in love and where we fall in love all over again when we visit.

I’ve been waiting for this trip for quite sometime and can’t believe it’s finally here. I don’t even care that there’s a long ass car drive or that I’ve been sick for the past few weeks. The only thing that matters is that in a few days, I’ll be in my happy place. And with the people I love. I’m coming home Cleveland, I’m coming home.