The simple things....

[Marguerite53]

Hello all. Sitting here in the SE part of the country, in an empty, soon to be full of boxes and thrift store furnishings, apartment which will be our oldest son's home for the next 5 years. He's starting a PhD program. Full ride, scholarship and fellowship. A good deal for our Golden One.

I haven't been back East for a good long while. Grew up outside of DC and then moved to Oregon for the last 30+ years. Brought our 3 kids back once for a visit in the fall of '93.

Got this apartment online, sight unseen and hoped for the best! It's nestled in some trees, typical brick and clapboard, 40's era. Great price! Feels like the house I grew up in. So I'm feeling nostalgic. Wantend SO MUCH to be able to share some of the feelings of the summertime of my youth. Searched and searched the first night for a lightning bug, but to no avail. Told him there would be bright red cardinals, but none turned up. Kept my eyes open for honeysuckle vines and the Good Humor man. I don't think there are any more Good Humor men, are there? But last evening as we were walking around his campus we turned a corner and a lightning bug ran smack dab into me! I yelped, cupped my hands in an instinctive grab and nabbed the little thing. My husband and son turned around alarmed (I admit, I was behaving like a little kid). I said now watch over there, toward a dark bush. I set him free, waited.....he blinked. The look on my son's face (he's never seen one, you see) was wonderful. Oh, they're like, irridescent and bright, kinda green...he smiled.

This morning, as we walked through his hollow echoing little apartment for the first time, he was trying to decide where to set up his computer (the cable man being the first appointment and most necessary!!). He looked out a window and a red cardinal perched on a pine tree for awhile. Look here!! Here's a red bird!! I think I'll put my computer right here!!

We'll be leaving Wednesday. I like all the "signs" so far. He'll be 3,000 miles away, and I'll miss him like the dickens, but I feel really good about where he's landed. Somehow, when the simple things come through......like the rising red moon (it is so muggy here but I've never seen a red moon before!!!!!!) as we were leaving the airport, it helps. Like you just seem to find more faith in everything.

So, happy summer everyone!! It's nice to have it feel like home for a few days.

Marguerite

 

[WendyD]

Hi Marguerite,
Wishing your son all the very best for his studies.
Yes isn't it funny how the little things can bring all the memories of your childhood back.
I managed to buy some perfume that I wore as a teenager(many years ago) over the net, and just opening the bottle, brought all the memories flooding back,Ernie thought I'd gone a bit dippy !! (Dippier than usual.!)
Anyway,enjoy your summer, we are freezing here in NZ
All the best
Wendy

 

[Georgia]

Lightning bugs

Lightning bugs

A few years ago a huge youth rodeo was held here for the first time. Some kids were here from Australia and asked their hosts about the little electronic toys that flashed at night. Of course, lightning bugs. They'd never seen them and were fascinated.

 

[Phyllis]

Wishing your son our best and hope he enjoys our East coast. Our daughter also got her PhD. She got it in Art History with a concentration in American Architecture. It's a looooong haul. She wanted to remain in Boston and tenure track jobs were hard to come by so she taught temp. teaching jobs as she found them at UMass, Harvard, Tufts, etc. No benefits and very little pay. so after a couple of years she gave up and went to law school at night (also a full tuition scholarship based on her CV). So now she is the third lawyer in our family and the third generation of lawyers in the family- no lawyer jokes please!

 

[Rain]

I just loved your post!

I just loved your post!

Oh Marguerite!!

I think you may have to have lived through this to truly understand it. It?s one of those ?big? events in our lives.... sending our kids off to college.

I?m so happy you got to point out a few of the important things before you left him. And he will remember them.....

 

[bvdr]

Hi Marguerite,

I'm glad you had a successful trip! Did you get a chance to get in any little side trips? I know you had an awful lot to do in a very short period of time. You also hit the very hottest weather we have had all year. If he can tolerate this then he can handle any weather in NC.

How did the place look after he got settled in?

 

[hensylee]

SOUNDS LIKE he is living in my yard.

 

[FrVincze]

Marguerite,

What a beautiful and blessed story you have shared here. It is amazing how He works in our lives and brings us happiness.

I will be praying for your son and all he has to do over these next five years.

Peace,

Vincze