*EG freaks out just a little bit*

And then I look at my "to do" list and I see it dwindling.

*EG sighs with relief*

There's still a lot to do.

But the garden's coming along, and I have flowers growing in the flower bed, and my husband will be left with a comfortable home for he and the kids. And they'll be left with some meals for when he's not up to cooking. He's got a lot of support here at home, and it looks as if I'll be surrounded by some absolutely awesome people.

We're almost to the point where any extra done around the house would help, but if I were to leave in, say, a week, everything would still be fine.

But thinking of leaving my kids and Rice still makes my heart ache just a little bit, even though I am so utterly and totally excited.

***

Avadore spent the day with me Saturday. He hung out while I got my hair cut and he came to my writers group who had a special meeting before I left. Avadore decided he wanted to write The Spiderwick Chronicles, so he and I worked on that. He keeps working on it and working on it. He's so proud to be writing his book. Last night he and his grandma worked on it while I cooked a special dinner for my in-laws. (Tenderloin wrapped in bacon, steamed asparagus tossed in lemon juice, potatoes with garlic and parmesan, and a fabulous fresh fruit salad my MIL made. I also made a peanut butter chocolate pseudo pie dessert with an almond crust. My FIL, a red meat lover to his bones, said it was the best steak he'd had in years. It was a fine quality cut of meat, marinated with much love.)

***

There is still more to do on the house. We've lived here a year today (well, we started moving in a year today), and there is still the library to put together and other such things. We seem to be moving at a snail's pace. But I'm hesitant about putting my house together and decorating it in such a way just to have it done. I'd much rather take my time and put it together the way I want it to be. And the longer I live here the more I know what this home is, and what belongs it. It was a sense I had when we bought it, but this sense becomes more and more defined with time.

I also am learning where things belong. A coat tree will be purchased and put by the desk in the entry way. A particular bookshelf will be brought up and put by the long couch. Bit by bit it is coming together and will continue to do so.

***

Clarionites often talk about how hard it is to leave Clarion, and to come home. They also talk about how it's hard to write for a long time afterwards... six months, a year... But I will have my home to come back to, my family, and putting these things in order to look forward to. There will be a garden to tend and harvest, a huge bookshelf to place upstairs and organize. Swimming lessons for Avi, grants to write, a dog to walk, food to preserve, a library to visit, the fair begins the Saturday I come home...

My life is quiet, but it's not empty and without things that need my attention.