Forever My Child

I didn't post a Ten Things of Thankful last weekend, because I didn't want to take a single moment away from a magnificent weekend. It was practically perfect, and I am more thankful than I can convey. Here is why:

My son and his wife moved to Washington, DC, last summer for my DIL's fellowship in pediatric infectious disease. We did get to see them briefly at the end of September when they flew back for a wedding, but that was simply AGES ago. My son is a hospitalist at a DC hospital, working the night shift, and his schedule is 7 days on, 7 days off. I asked him if there was a chance he could come home for a visit during one of his off weeks, and the answer was YES.

I'm extremely thankful for Lillian, my DIL, for booking the flights and for letting us have him for five whole days! We missed you and will see you next time!

He flew into the airport in Northwest Arkansas that largely services all the corporate travel for Walmart, and I'm thankful for GPS on my phone for getting us there! It is in the middle of NOWHERE, down winding, two-laned highways, through tiny towns, then right through a series of brand new subdivisions (with names like Oakwood and The Pines, apparently each named after the trees that were bulldozed to make room for the houses, as there wasn't a tree in sight within each raw, new neighborhood). 

It had just turned dark as we pulled up to the terminal (which is under construction). There were barricades (and construction equipment and no pavement) in front of the building, so cars parked in the left lane to wait for their weary travelers to come out of the building, wind their way around barricades, cross the street, and walk down a dark sidewalk, looking for their ride. I watched every shadow cross the street and either walk to a car or disappear into a parking garage, but there was no mistaking the shadow that was my son as he walked down the sidewalk. I felt like Melanie in Gone With the Wind when Ashley returned to Tara after being held in a northern prison camp and she saw him walking up the drive (IYKYK). My (29 year old) baby boy was HOME.

XNA airport pick up line.

I'm thankful to Nikki and Ceason for getting coverage for me in my classroom, so I could take three days off to be with my family. 

Our cats warmed right up to Kyle when we got home, and I don't think one of them hissed at him (this pissed off my daughter, because they always hiss at her, but in fairness, she brings HER cat when she comes home, and he walks in like he owns the place). Okay, Finn probably did, but since he hides most of the time, who would know?

Kyle, Lewis, and Nora

We spent a good part of Thursday with my husband's parents, where we played a not-so-fun game of Where's Grandad's Phone (answer: in Nana's purse, where it had been hiding for two days). My husband gets the thankful for finding it (he was motivated by not wanting to go phone shopping with his parents).

With Nana and Grandpa

Friday, we drove to Branson to spend the weekend with my dad. Up until Wednesday evening, we weren't sure the weekend trip was going to happen, as there had been many delays in getting new flooring put into my dad's house, but it was completed in the nick of time! Our daughter drove down on Saturday morning to spend the rest of the weekend with us, and we had an absolutely delightful family weekend. My kids shared a bedroom, like they always did at the lake house while growing up, and they didn't get into one fight! There were times when they were younger that I never thought I would see that day!

My kids and their Papa

Our boy

They crack themselves up

All too soon, it was Monday, and we had to return our boy to his grown-up life. We had five days of eating at all his favorite places and cooking his favorite meals, laughing, talking, hugging, crying, and planning future times together. Saying goodbye never gets easier. I love my children so much that it sometimes hurts, but they are both smart and accomplished and happy, and what more could a mama want?

Remember that little airport in Northwest Arkansas? When checking their website Monday afternoon, I discovered it was possible to park the car, accompany your loved one inside the airport, AND GO ALL THE WAY TO THE GATE WITH THEM. Have you heard of such a thing since 9/11?! You have to register when you get there, and you still have to go through TSA, but instead of dropping him off on the curb a few hours before his flight and driving home, we were able to stay with him until the moment he boarded, and we watched out the window until we saw his plane take off. 

My heart was both full and empty at the same time.

Parenting is hard.

And I wouldn't trade it for anything.

It's not too late to join the TToT! We are live until Monday night.