Picking up roots

I don't believe that I have ever been in this position... in the place of one who will be picking up roots and moving to another place.  Those  of you who know me are laughing.  Perhaps you think I am trying to crack a joke.  Not really, though.  I haven't ever felt like I can put down roots before this year... this year of sabbatical, being at home, making new friends, putting our kids into local schools, attending community events, and really finding space to breathe.  I put down roots this year, which is something that I always thought I would never do.
It is going to be really hard to leave this time...
For this reason alone.
Why did I do it, you might ask?  Well, I didn't mean to... I came home thinking that Matthew would never entertain the idea of sticking around, and so I approached moving home as another overseas assignment of sorts, trying to maintain a safe distance from everyone and everything.  Then I began to meet really beautiful people, and I began to hope... Matthew found himself enjoying himself far more than he ever dreamed he would, and he started to think about my idea of moving home.  I sent down some feelers at this point and they found fertile ground...
Then we began to spend more time with good people, and get to know them really well... the roots went deeper.
We began to make this home our own, renovating and making it more liveable for us as a family... and the roots went even deeper and started to hold fast.
It scares me to leave so soon after planting such good seeds.  I keep telling myself that the roots will hold fast while I am away, but it is frightening none-the-less.
For now I will hang on as tightly as I can... I will hold on to this feeling for as long as I can, and pray that the roots will be strong enough to hold me no matter how far I might go.