Thanks to everyone for writing to check on me. The thought occurred to me that I have two speeds . . on and off, with no in between. I’m either going full speed or in the bed thinking I’m dying! Yesterday was the first day I managed to stay awake the whole day. Today I got up early and think I’m back to feeling like normal.
Chad was home for the weekend but I see so little of him . . mostly I see his dirty laundry! 🙂 But, I’m not complaining about that . . at least he was here. He gets home Friday about 4:30 and has to be at work 6 – 10. Guess in this economy I should be saying “He gets to be at work!” Saturday he works 9 – 6 but has an hour for lunch so I plan our big meal of the day for when he’ll be home for lunch so we can all eat together. Then he comes home, showers and goes to his friend’s house til about 11 or 12; comes home and goes to bed. Sundays he works 7 – 4; comes home and eats dinner with us and goes back to school. I definitely miss him.
In 1959 (pretend that was 25 years before I was born!), we moved to Lake Charles. My grandparents lived 2 hours north of us in Many. I was 5 so what I remember may not be exactly what my parents remember but I remember that we went “home” every weekend. Mom taught so she was out of school on Fridays by 3:30 or 4:00. We’d go home, finish packing, dad would get home from work and we’d be on the road to visit grandma. Not long after we’d moved, we were heading north and dad pulled into Hayes’ Buick in Leesville and what seemed like a spur of the moment deal, we left with a brand spanking new 1960 Buick LeSabre. Ours was brown/cream (I think). That was such a huge car for little girls. I was 6 and my sister was 4 but we still fought over who was taking up more room in the back seat.
We’d spend the weekend with Pop & Nannie and when it was time to leave on Sunday, I can still see Nannie standing at the gate crying and waving goodbye. I don’t know if Mom or my sister, Pam, cried but I always did. Don’t ask me why . . Nannie cried so I cried too. Pop would always try to make us not cry and he’d say “Get in that old rusty brown car!” My sister and I would get so mad because he’d call the car an old, rusty, brown car but mad or not, I still cried.
As Chad is getting in the car and leaving, I’m standing in the garage fighting back tears. I always think of my grandma as we were leaving her house on Sundays. I had already turned my back to walk into the house when the tear faucet turned itself on this afternoon. Time will pass quickly and in no time, he’ll be home again for our weekend routine. I’m already looking forward to Monday morning when I have the house totally to myself . . music up loud! I didn’t feel like doing that at all last week. Tomorrow begins a normal week for me and I’m ready!
shannon says
You make me want to go and hug my kids…..and stunt their growth so I can hang on to them forever.
Anna says
Hey Judy,
I was the same way when I left my gran’s and even as an adult sometimes when I leave my parents I will be teary- I am hopeless at saying goodbye.. The best I do is when we just go and do not prolong the goodbyes- the tears are less and I can shift gears easier.. its the time when I am separating that is the hardest for me.
I also was the kind of kid who cried easily ( for that matter as adult too- from a sentimental story, sappy commercial and when things are changing) . I used to look at as a fatal flaw in my character and that I needed to apologize for being such a baby. As I have got older I have come to terms with the fact that crying is part of me and two things have happened- one is that I have more control over my tears and (two) I don’t feel bad about it as I know it will go away more quickly if it is not a significant loss or change. Sometimes I have difficulty when I get stressed or over tired but those are not different from others.. I guess the people whom I love always know that I will cry and they try and make it simpler by doing it quickly.
I am not sure how I would have ever separated from my family like my great grandmothers did ,if I knew that I would likely never see my family again as I moved onto a great new world.. They were brave women , my great grandmothers…
Glad to hear that you are feeling better. Be well..
Regards,
Anna
peggy says
We visited my grandparents in Hammond, LA a few times a year. That is, if we were stationed in the US. My dad was in the Air Force, so sometimes we didn’t see the families for several years. I can still see my grandmother standing on the steps, waving goodbye, with her chin quivering. That was probably 50 years ago! Moms (or Grandmoms) never change.
Howdy says
Glad you are feeling better – I was beginning to wonder if ya got all tangled up in your yarn and couldn’t get out!
It will get easier as time goes by… but it sounds like you come from a long line of criers so I don’t think anyone should expect otherwise. LOL
Joyce says
Judy, I think having Sara home each weekend would definately be harder than seeing her on breaks. Don’t get me wrong, I dearly love having her home, but to have to say goodbye every weekend, I’d be a basket case. Now I just tear up when she leaves, then I plunge myself into some project of some sort and wait for her to call and let me know she arrived safely. Kids, gotta love em!
lori says
You made me think about the times when my hubby was in the military. I remember the very first time he left to go to Florida 1980. Just had a second baby and the 1st one was 21 months, you should have seen the balling than at the airport, than I had a 5 hour car ride back to home. As time went by, his coming and going wasn’t tearful, just stressful. By the time 1982 came having a 3rd baby that was a preemie, his ship left for 6 months talk about tears, raising 3 under 3, no family or friends, no sleep. I was a blubber machine. For the kids< i don’t remember crying, 1 moved out at 25 with her hubby, ( we have a large house) the middle daughter was 18.6 when she went into the military, she is now in Maine, the 3rd daughter is still living at home, just started to date, so I never see her anymore. Oh about 13 years ago I was put on prozac, maybe thats why there are no more tears. LOL 😉
Marla says
I remember growing up getting to see my big sister and her husband maybe once every two years. They lived in Seattle and me and our parents lived in either Nebraska or Illinois. I remember waving goodbye to them as they were leaving the driveway bawling so hard you couldn’t see knowing that you would not get to see them for a very very long time. Those were the days that you did not call long distance very much as was very expensive. Making me tear up just thinking about it!
Amy says
WOW….I was born and raised in Leesville! Small world! My 2 brothers and oldest sister live there now….left for many years then returned.