All three of our kids opted to attend colleges in locations quite remote from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. After high school graduation in 2000, Sarah broke in a pair of military-issued boots and headed to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. A year later Sam flew the coop to attend Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Not long thereafter, Becky packed her bags and enrolled at Rice University in Houston, Texas. All top-notch institutions of higher learning - all very far away from home.
Sarah has since been assigned to multiple Air Force bases all around the country, and Becky remained in Houston to attend Baylor Medical School. Upon his graduation from Northwestern, Sam stayed two more years in the Midwest working for Epic Systems in Madison, Wisconsin. It wasn't until Sam shifted gears to attend law school at the University of Idaho that I once again had a child living in the Pacific Time Zone. Better yet, now that he's a full-fledged lawyer working in Spokane, Sam is just 30 miles away.
I say all this because Becky flew home this past weekend for a quick visit and to attend the wedding of a family friend. Sam slipped over from Spokane, and - all at once - life was simply better. For a few summer days, two of our four kids (we now claim Sarah's husband Paul) were home - sharing meals, life experiences, opinions and Hayden Lake dock time. We were fortunate to have "perfect attendance" in December when the whole shootin' match helped us celebrate Christmas. But these precious times when we're together are all too rare.
As I write this, Becky is on her return flight to Houston, Sam is probably knee-deep into some law journal, and both Sarah and Paul are deployed at a foreign base location we're not entitled to know. So today I'm reflecting on my beautiful, highly accomplished children and how lucky we are when they come home for visits. Life is just better - even if only for a long weekend.
What a nice post, Mom! Paul and I wish we could have been home with the rest of the family the other weekend. We sure miss you!!
ReplyDeleteThis post sure makes me misty-eyed. I like to think of the three of us as a reflection of good parenting. :) Though it will still be a few years before I get as close enough to home as Sam is, I look forward to (hopefully) Thanksgiving at home in the meantime!
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