Happily Ever After

Seventy One~ A House Is Not A Home

Kris

Being on a professional baseball team has a lot of perks. One of my favorite things in the world is that there are so many different kinds of people and personalities on one team. And once you're around them for a long time and you're listening to all the different stories and ideas you start to pick up on them. Especially coming from a pretty sheltered home where if it wasn't baseball I usually didn't know about the mysterious life holds. Being a part of a team with people from all over the world and with so many different experiences I've been able to learn so much. Do things I would have never done should I have been stuck inside of the the bubble I've created throughout my life.

And while the country lifestyle really isn't what I'm used to, I've come to love it. Between my very southern girlfriend and a few of the guys on the team being so into farming and farm animals I've picked up quite a bunch of southernisms. Hell, I own two horses and keep them with Lester's and Lackey's horses just outside of town. I now enjoy southern comfort food and more country music than I've ever imagined I would. Taking this journey through life and being able to change means a lot to me and I was so excited to see what was in store for us next.

In this here off day where we decided to ride the horses for a little. Jon and his family meet us at the ranch and we all saddle up. Mary insists on riding snowflake with Jenna and I tell her that's fine because I'm still a rookie rider. I feel a lot better if it's just me being thrown off of the horse than if Mary was thrown off too. Jon saddles up with his oldest and Farrah has their youngest and we take off to the trails. We enjoy a nice stroll here on this beautiful April day as we let the horses go wherever their hooves take them.

"Why can't we keep the horseys at the house" Mary asks as she turns to me and I chuckle.

"I don't think they're animals that enjoy riding in elevators" I tease making Jenna giggle. "Plus we have nowhere to keep them."

"So why can't we get a place to keep them? And we can get other animals like chickens. Uncle Jon has chickens" she insists.

"I don't know the first thing about raising animals or living on a farm" I defend.

"But I do" Jenna reminds me. "One of my best friends growing up had a cattle ranch. They had other animals too, but they sold and raised cattle so that was their income. I used to help her all the time with feeding them and keeping them healthy. Plus it would be kinda nice to live somewhere peaceful and away for the city" she claims.

"You want us to get a home" I question and she slows snowflake down. Midnight stops next to them as Jenna slowly turns to me.

"Is this really the time and place to talk about this" she questions me.

"If not now, then when" I ask.

She lets out a long sigh before looking up at me. I stare back at her as she finds the words and arrange them in a way only she will think of them. "I've never really had a home. I mean I've had a house, I've had a apartment I've loved coming back to. But I've never been able to make a home, you know? We put up pictures and make precious memories but the apartment isn't really home. Chicago is more of a home than anything, that's why I don't think moving would be that hard for me.

The hard part is creating something that I love, something I put my all into and it not being a home to me. Do you know how hard it is to create something and you end up hating it? The very room I designed when I was little filled with things I loved brought me more pain than any other room in my life. What if I can't create a home" she questions.

But I just shake my head as I looked at her. "It won't be like that" I promise. "Everything you and I have created is going to last. This love, this relationship, this family, and eventually a home. I haven't a doubt in my mind that if you're there it will be home to me and Mary. And I know for a fact should you have the chance you can take a house and make it into something you will always feel safe in. This world is harsh and you should have a place that you feel comfortable and happy. You should be excited to come home and jump into bed with me. Or make food for the first time so you can be like your sister. You're capable of incredible things Jenny, this is no different" I promise.

"I haven't brought it up because I wasn't sure that what you wanted" she explains

"I want it all with you Jen. The good and the bad, the new and the old. Everything" I promise.

"You expect me to believe that it's been about a year and all of the sudden you want to move to a house with animals outside of the city when a year ago you've never seen a horse in real life and didn't know a single southern comfort food" she questions.

"I expect you to believe in my love for you. And believe that it is stronger than anything you will know and understand" I insist.

"Where do we even start" she questions.

"I know a few places" Jon claims as he comes up behind us. I didn't even hear his horse.

"How long have you been there" I chuckle.

"Long enough. But Farrah and I were looking at a few houses what you guys were talking about. It's not a lot to keep up and still close to wrigley. If you want we can send the information over to you guys" he insists.

"I would love that" Jenna smirks.

We enjoy the rest of our little stroll as the kids wanted to go through the water and get all wet. So we let them play in the pond and take the horses back to get food and relax. They got it pretty good here and I'm not sure they would want to leave. But I still want a place of my own we're we can keep them should we want them close.