As I’m sitting on my flight back from the Dominican Republic (where I was speaking at a Business Ethics & Integrity Conference), I can’t help but think about how excited I am to just be headed home for the holidays.

This past year I’ve traveled to Palm Springs California, Chicago, Simi Valley California, London, Washington DC, Virginia, Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Vienna, Budapest, Bryce Canyon Utah, Hammett Idaho, Page Arizona, Lake Powell three times, Colorado Springs, Evanston Wyoming, Driggs Idaho, Jackson Hole Wyoming, Stowe Vermont, Quebec Canada,  and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic…I’m sure I’m forgetting some of the other places I’ve traveled this year but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

I’ve spent a tremendous amount of time on the road this year. And as grateful as I am for the experiences I have had in my travels and the people I’ve been blessed to spend time with (unbelievably grateful actually), it’s still hard not to start feeling a bit disconnected from home when you are traveling this much. I miss seeing my neighbors and friends. I miss having a normal routine. I miss sleeping in my bed. I just miss being home.

Luckily, I haven’t had to miss my husband because he’s been able to come with me on all of those trips this year, which is the first year that’s ever happened and that’s been really fun for us. Plus I like having a travel buddy I can beat at chess on the flights (…tee hee…I can’t wait to see his face when he sees that…and no matter what he tries to comment on this post, just know that I pretty much smoke him most every game…okay, maybe not every game – given that I just finished speaking at the conference on Integrity I suppose I better admit that perhaps every once in a blue moon he might get super-duper lucky enough to beat me once or twice…but it’s rare 🙂 ).

Here’s what I can tell you – I’ve been all over the world and I’ve been to some truly incredible places, but there is simply no place on earth that can compare with being home with your family. Which is why I am SO EXCITED that I get to spend the rest of the holidays this year at HOME.

~Amy Rees Anderson