I am the youngest of three Kentucky born and raised kids. My beautiful sister Jeanette is 9 years my senior and my loving brother Patrick is 6 years my senior. Patrick and I grew up very close to one another, we basically lived within a stones throw of each other until I left for college and even then he was merely a phone call and about an hour away. Jeanette and I had a very different relationship. I have some very vivid and wonderful memories of her as a child but for the most part I remember her as my older, cooler big sister who moved away to Maryland when I was a young kid in search of a life all her own. I remember at first flying with my mom to go visit her and then as I got older I was allowed to fly by myself to visit her. Every time I visited my sister I was amazed and impressed at the life she had created for herself in this foreign far away land (to a kid Maryland is a foreign far away place, lol.). I was always welcomed but always felt out of sorts, after all Kentucky was my home not Maryland.
As a kid if someone were to ask me where my sister was from I would say, without hesitation "Maryland". To me that was her home, Kentucky in my book had never been her home. I know in my heart and head that that is where she was born and where she grew up but was that her "home", not really. She had made her own home in this foreign land called Maryland. I truly believe that if it were not for Jeanette moving to Maryland I would likely have never packed up and moved to CA. I saw that she was able to make a happy life for herself and was more than willing to give it a try for myself.
I left Kentucky almost 11 years ago. I can honestly say that up until about a year ago if someone were to ask me where I was from I would say Kentucky. Now I say, without hesitation Valley Ford. Somewhere in my mind a switch flipped from the girl I grew up as to the woman I now am. Many times Morgan and I have contemplated packing it all up and moving to be closer to my family in KY and his in NJ. But then we realize that the "home" we remember has a different definition and a different meaning as adults. My Kentucky home now lives in my heart, its not a place I could physically live in. Its a place that lives inside of me. I could never forget my friends, foe and family there, heck they made me who I am today.
I am about as happy now as any person can be. I love my friends, I love my community and I even love my job. I love how my heart warms every time I drop Avrie off at preschool, I love how trick or treating is like a giant block party in Tomales, I love how I can go to the local Grocery Store and run into about 5 people I know. To me, this is home. Just like Maryland is home to my sister. Kentucky and Indiana will always live in my heart but for now I will be living in California.
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