home to ohio

for nearly as long as i've known barney, his parents have been asking me to come home to ohio. the requests began in earnest my senior year at penn state, when dad barney began calling 225 west hamilton in order to speak to his son, who had basically forgone his dorm room, instead taking up sometime residence on our couch, storing beers in our fridge, cooking us dinners of squirrel, and doing complicated-looking engineering homework in our living room. we were his big sisters, in a way, and through the year i think we became family. the back door was always unlocked and even if it wasn't, my window was, and i wish i could say i never came home to find barney napping in my bed after climbing in through the window, but i would be lying if i did.

luckily for me, he's remained one of my best friends. i've been able to enjoy quite a few lunches with his family as they've visited him in state college on some of the same weekends i was lingering around town. suddenly, though, our friendship is eight years old and i still hadn't been home to ohio.

finally, this weekend, i came through and made the trip. i'm so happy i had the chance to. home is a beautiful place nestled in the trees, and it felt more like vacation than a weekend away for a wedding. barney's sister was getting married and he had invited a few of his friends to join in the weekend. it was an honor to be there and enjoy all the festivities, but even better i finally had the chance to see what home really looked like, to meet grandma and grandpa, and just enjoy being around the whole barney clan. creek and jenny joined me in composing the "pennsylvania friends" contingent and we had a few laughs as we sat around the campfire friday night, watched all the preparations on saturday, and stayed out late after the wedding that night. there was even a showing of middle brother thomas and his girlfriend for sunday morning brunch. who knew warren, oh would be the place to be on sunday? i guess i could have told you. but still...

it is always nice to have a chance to see where my friends come from - to see "home" and finally have a real image of that place where all the stories come from. i know, too, that it is always a treat to have friends come home to where i am from. the house feels alive and warm in a way that is hard to duplicate without the presence of good friends. conversations come easy, laughter fills the rooms, and even at night it is comforting to think of the people soundly sleeping, the ones that have been there for so many good times and memories. it is just nice to share such an important aspect of life with people i care about. perhaps it is a little sappy, but it is true. because what's home without good friends to go with the family every once in a while? it was great to finally go home to ohio. a long time in the making, hopefully i'll get to go back a little sooner this time.