I lived in Albuquerque for almost 12 years. I went to middle and high school there, and I earned my bachelor’s degree there. I met Kevin, and we married there. For our honeymoon, we camped, hiked, and traveled all around New Mexico. We purposefully planned on spending an equal amount of time in different regions because, for all the time we had been there, we hadn’t explored our own state as much as we wanted. We did things big and small, from visiting national parks to going to local spots. We did our favorite things, too.

With that, I hope I’ve proven just how much New Mexico has shaped me and how much it means to me. It’s my home. Whenever I meet someone new, and they ask me where I’m from, I keep it simple and tell them that I come from New Mexico. Not born and raised there, per say, like many of my friends are. But when my dad retired from the Air Force, my family settled down in one place at last, and that place was Albuquerque.

Recently, Kevin and I arranged our holiday travel for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Both times will include either all or some time spent in Albuquerque. Yet we wanted to go home earlier than that, specifically in October during Balloon Fiesta. If you’re unfamiliar with the event, and you’ve never been to New Mexico, I implore you to try and make this your very first time. It’s one of the best times to stay in Albuquerque.

Now I have to be honest and follow up that shameless plug by saying that the reason why we couldn’t make it back for Balloon Fiesta is because flights get expensive for that week. We realized that, due to the domestic and international attention the event gets, it’s probably the busiest time to be in Albuquerque. That’s when we decided to come home for the long Labor Day weekend instead.

I’m sorry for the lengthy explanation. Let’s get to how we spent said weekend. Kevin created a list of things he wanted to do in Albuquerque, from eating and drinking at certain places to doing particular things. I was just along for the ride. If I had made a similar list, it would’ve contained nearly the same things. Eat at our favorite restaurants, drink at our favorite breweries, and getting our fill of the place we love.

Even more importantly than that, though, we visited family and friends. We stayed with Kevin’s parents and sat down with them. We hung out with high school and college friends alike, doing different activities. My parents were both out of town for the weekend, but when they returned, we went out and had dinner with them. We had so much catching up to do with every single one of them. We miss them more than I could explain. That would make up a whole post of its own and then some.

We even got to stay a night at one of my favorite places in the world, and granted, I haven’t been around the world much yet. It’s a hot springs resort in the small New Mexico town of Truth or Consequences, about a 2-hour drive south from Albuquerque. As Kevin so eloquently put it, “‘Twas heavenly.” It’s an actual oasis in the desert.

We got to watch one of our best friends teach his middle school history class, and we brought him lunch and ate in his classroom. We went to a rock climbing gym called Stone Age with a group of friends and had pizza and played video games later that night. Kevin hiked with those same friends in the Sandia Mountains for over 8 hours on a trail known as Whiskey Ridge. Knowing my limitations, I opted out. Apparently, it was difficult even for them. Kevin called me from the top so that, in a way, I could be there with him.

Alas, the days went by too quickly. We flew back to Manchester and landed late, making for a brutal early morning the following day, and we finished the work week.

New Mexico has some of the clearest and bluest skies you’ll see. The air is thin and dry. Albuquerque centers around two bands of trees that flank the Rio Grande river. Then, to the east, the Sandia Mountains stand right at the edge of town at over 10,500 feet in elevation. To the west are ancient volcanoes and sprawling mesa. On the best days, the horizon stretches far beyond what the eye can see. Albuquerque has a downtown area, but no skyscrapers. Instead, there are our historical districts, like Old Town and Nob Hill. Route 66 goes right through these districts and spans the entire state.

I could go on and on, and on. I feel like I have, when I’ve only really scratched the surface. However, hopefully I’ve set the stage for this Heading Home series and faithfully described the setting. I love Albuquerque. I love New Mexico. I love all of the people I care about who live there.

I want to go back already!