I’ve mentioned this numerous times but when I was a child, my grandparents lived two hours north of us and we’d go there almost every weekend. We’d get there Friday, sometimes around dark, stay til Sunday afternoon and go home. I always . . probably every single trip .. remember my grandma standing in the driveway, wearing an old flowered cotton dress, most always with an apron over it . . standing at the gate waving goodbye and crying. I hated leaving her and it seemed she hated to see us leave. I’ve tried so hard not to cry every time I leave Addie, though I want to cry, every single time.
I don’t want Addie to be remembering the same thing 50 years from now – every time she left me, I was crying. I’ve gotten pretty good at holding back the tears and I actually think my tears were due to what I faced after I spent time with her. When I was leaving to drive back to Texas, I hated that 10 hour drive by myself through Tulsa and Oklahoma City. When Addie and Nicole left our MO house Thursday evening, I was sad (but didn’t cry!) because I had never spent a night alone in the new house; I’m a chicken and my cell phone doesn’t work inside so I was a bit scared. The easiest thing to do would have been to stay awake til I couldn’t stay awake any longer but with the long drive ahead of me, I knew I needed to get some sleep.
On the few times Vince has been with me on the trip to MO, it’s been so much easier leaving because he was with me; and it will be the same thing at the house when he’s there.
Before I left, I went room to room making sure lights were out, and everything was ok to leave. In the basement storage room, she had a few toys on the shelf.
In her bedroom, she had a couple of dolls and some doll accessories.
Instead of being sad, I sat down on her bed and spend a few seconds being thankful that we’re going to be living so close to her, I’ll get to spend more time with her, and she will have her own room at our home.
Life is good and getting better!
Dottie Newkirk says
Lots of good times ahead!!
Judy Domke says
I do the same thing when the kids leave from spending time at the beach. I always cry when they leave but try to hide it. Then after a few minutes, I’m good knowing we will have another awesome weekend soon.
Mary says
I keep myself happy and upbeat till their gone. Then I’m so sad. But I get really busy around the house to get me past n hour or so and wait 2 weeks to see them again. I understand your pain.
Nelle Coursey says
Maybe she left them so you would not be left alone in the house. She was thinking of you!
Susan Nixon says
She laid her claim to your house. =)
annie says
Judy, when is permanent move in date? That’s a lovely house .
Stephani in N. TX says
You made me realize I’m never sad when I depart my kiddos and grands anymore since I now live in the far north outreaches of DFW and they live close, I see them so much more often. There are sleepovers and we have meals together. So we are in our lives together way more than when I lived 3 hours distant. I wish the same for you even if its not just the same as yourself and your grandparents. No tears when they drive off is wonderful. Thanks for the reminder.
Twyla says
My grandmother always walked down the driveway as we drove off and was smiling but with tears. I always felt like she would miss me like I missed her. Not OH THANK GOD she is gone. Yours tears are just showing your heart strings are being tugged. And about Vince’s wonderful red wall: I could see on of your beautiful quilts hanging on it. WOW!