Return

I am back... It was August since I last visited this blog. I am unsure of where the months have gone, but time has a way of moving quickly along while we're busy with the business of living our lives. I reread my letter from the beginning of the school year and have been reflecting on the students who, very soon, will pass through my classroom door that one, final time. It has been a good year, a productive year of much growth, but at the end of it all I find myself wishing for just a few more moments...moments in which to learn and laugh together, to share the smiles and prolong the memories. And so as the school year faces its inevitable close, I am quickly storing pictures in my heart so that I might return to them often this summer and feel their hug.

Just yesterday I traveled with my eldest daughter to register her for college classes. On the way home, we passed by the river access where my husband and I went fishing on the evening we found out we were expecting our firstborn. It seems like yesterday, yet she is leaving the nest very soon. Emotionally, I am conflicted. Her entrance into my life completely altered it...and made all the difference. I am grateful for the gift. She is ready to go, and I am so ready for her to stay. I wonder if I will ever be able to reconcile the array of feelings in my heart. Such are the pangs of the mother I suppose. I love you, sweet McKenzie, with all my heart.

We journeyed home from St. Louis courtesy of Missouri Route 94. It is one of the most scenic byways in the state and with a bit of creativity, I could almost believe I was in Appalachia... my beloved Smoky Mountains. The views along the hills and curves were breathtaking, and Cardinals baseball provided the perfect backdrop. (Mike Shannon's radio voice is one of my favorite sounds in this world!) The wineries along the way were packed with motorcyclists who, too, were enjoying the weather and the views. We stopped at tiny Treloar and had dinner in the old bar there. I loved the atmosphere...time has stood still within its doors for decades. We enjoyed a burger, a bit of baseball, a game of pool, and hearty conversations with patrons whose names we'll never know. Sometimes you don't need the name to know the friend...

...and although I may not know yours, it's good to be with you again. I've missed you. Truly, I am back.