A long way from home

As of April 22, our life in Eugene has become a memory for me. My first task was an 1800 mile drive, made bearable by a wonderful CD that my loving wife made for the trip. I practically wore it out. My second task was to attack my new job and become successful quickly, to leave no doubt in their mind or mine that they made the right choice and so did I in teaming up. For a while I was able to immerse myself in these tasks and "protect" myself from the emotions of the situation. As they say, "you can avoid reality, but you can't avoid the consequences of avoiding reality." Between the pictures that Carolyn sent me this week and the poem that came from her heart, my defenses evaporated, and I am suffering a severe case of homesickness. It's been too long since I've seen my wife and my home. I impulsively scheduled a trip home on June 1, and I'm now living for that day. This will be a more rigorous test of our love, our character, and our marriage than we could have imagined, but I'm confident that we will emerge from this test even stronger and more in love. That's the way it works with us.

A Poem -The Patio Table

The Patio Table

I watch as the eager garage sale ‘treasure seekers’ inspect our patio table
It seats five around the circumference
Nothing special bought at K-Mart
Our life together has been a magical fable

The treasure seekers walk around
This abstract piece of back yard furniture
Worth purchasing they wonder?

After several trips round & round
Sizing it up and down
Money offered
They are ready to load and drive back to town

I watch them drag that table to their truck
And push and shove so it does not get stuck

Be careful I say
As images float around the table
Smiles, warmth, laughter, love
Fearfully gripping the edges hanging on

Not so rough I say
A babies’ first birthday, cake, candles, singing
Our family around the table
Dragged and shoved into the back of that truck

I stand in the driveway and wave goodbye
As the patio table disappears out of sight

Week Two

This is the longest time I have gone without seeing my husband for at least 15 years.It is funny how the psyche copes with voids that are created in our lives. I am at times functioning very well - at least I think I am. And, life seems to have gotten into a rhythm.I no longer wander around the house. I am making lists and staying very busy. At other moments I am in tears and wish that Mike was here and we did not have to leave Eugene. But we are leaving and the day will come when we will drive out of this town and my beloved Oregon. But this week has brought me a new way of looking at things..if I have to leave then I am going to enjoy the remaining time that I have here. It's the least I can do! And, I have decided that once I get to Fargo I am going to enjoy that too. I am anxious to get back to being a wife to Mike. And, I want our life back. So, I am a bit more settled this week and accepting of being alone and having Mike so far away. Besides, my grandson, Ayden was born on May 3rd. I am thankful for him and I can't wait to meet him.