Home is where you keep your toothbrush

A few years ago, while working in Illinois at a summer theater festival, I met a really amazing friend, Al.  She and I got along very well from our first meeting and we often had long chats about any number of interesting and random things.  During one of these chats, she said to me,

"Home is where you keep your toothbrush."

Its been over four years since we met, but I have never forgotten those words.

Lets look at some numbers:

13: Number of dorms/houses/apartments I have lived in the past 10 years.

4: Number of states I've lived in (Texas, Illinois, San Diego, Ohio)

1: Number of foreign countries I've lived in (Italy)

23: Number of different roommates I've had in the past 10 years.

1 3/4: Longest number of years I've lived in the same house.

Those are some pretty crazy stats.  I have good memories about all of them and each one has taught me everything from patience and cooking to respect and love.  Though I am SO OVER moving so much and I dream of the day that I move to a home that I know I'll be staying in for a longer period of time, ultimately, I feel blessed.  I have 'homes' all over the country.  I have lived with some really great roommates (and a few quirky ones as well).  I have found the joy in making my home wherever I keep my toothbrush.  Its hard and challenging and scary sometimes, no doubt.  But, I can say with confidence that I can make my home anywhere and be happy.    

I've been living in Cincinnati for 3 months.  THREE months, already.  I can't really believe it and yet I feel as though I've lived here for years.  I've settled in quite quickly here and I have really fallen in love with the city and all it has to offer.  I look forward to spending an extended amount of time here, to calling in home for a while.  

So tell me,

What does "home" mean to you?

What do your housing numbers look like?  (I'm curious if anyone can beat mine!)