Who says you can't go home?

It doesn't matter where you are, it doesn't matter where you go

if it's a million miles away or just a mile up the road

Take it in, take it with you when you go

Who says you can't go home...

Good 'ol Bon Jovi sure can sing a tune. this one struck a cord with me the first time I heard it, and on my most recent visit to Illinois... I found the chorus repeating in my head...

I grew up in a little town in central Illinois called Lincoln... population 15,000... when I walked out the back door of the house I grew up in... I walked into a corn field. Growing up, I couldn't wait to get out of this little corn town. Everything about it was small and corny and I was MEANT for bigger and better things! I left town the day after I graduated High School and started my quest to see the world. I was young and stupid, but I had some grand adventures and lived in some amazing places. but every time I'd come home for a visit I'd have a pang of quilt for leaving it all behind. Now don't get me wrong I'm not packing up the house and scouting the town for a new house. But I realized that it doesn't have to be all or nothing. So there is only 1 movie theater, and The super Wal-mart is about all their is in way of shopping, for food or clothes, or that downtown consits of 1 square with the court house in the middle.

It's small, but the hearts of the people that live there are enormous!

I went home for a funeral and expected to see some "Old friends" but waiting in line for 2 1/2 hours at the visitation, took my breath away. I can't imagine how many people came to pay their respects, it had to be in the THOUSANDS....but everyone in town knew Michelle or someone in the family and wanted to give their love and support. It was just amazing and brought me to tears.

Then we went to a fundraiser for the grade school I went to, and was greeted by all my old grade school teachers and parents of my old classmates. I hadn't been in the door 5 minutes and I'd been hugged and gushed after...and I swear someone even pinched my cheeks... what an amazing feeling it was to walk in a room and have 30 people recognize you and to be glad to see you!

The weekend also allowed for some sibling bonding time, My sister and I had 6 hours there, and 6 hours back of interrupted sister time. We didn't turn the radio on ONCE the entire way there. On the way home we each took quick cat naps to make up from the lack of sleep we'd had the night before. We got to spend the night at my baby brothers bachelor pad, and I know he's my brother and I'm biased, but that boy is just amazing. He is so funny and quick witted, I just loved being around him. He was so excited to have us there and even more excited to play bartender and mix us up a drink called "The lunch box" I'm not sure I want to know exactly what's in it, but it was a tasty little drink even though we didn't "chug" it like we were suppose to!

But what I got from the quick trip there and back is that while I may never Live in Lincoln again, I'll always be a Lincoln Railer at heart. Part of Who I am today is because of where I grew up, because of the people that surrounded me and because of the lessons I learned in that corny little town

I can take THAT with me... wherever I am...