...This morning was an early and barely cohesive one, the most I remember is carrying a pillow and blanket out to my Aunt's car, stopping at McDonald's for a McCafe Mocha, apparently leaving the front door WIDE open, and being so frustrated because my ipod was dead and my headphones would not plug into my iPhone... so how can I fall asleep to music? ummmm, i can't.. so instead I listened to my Mom and my Aunt chat for a couple hours, just like my sister and I would have, and put in my priceless opinion where needed!
Before long, we arrive at destination #3- my Papa's and Nene's in Madisonville!!! They should feel pretty special because their destination even landed in the title ;-) We stayed there for quite awhile, waiting for my Dad to meet us there, the whole time reminds me of being a kid. Hay bails and Easter, tire swings and four wheelers, cows and rootbeer floats. My Nene taught me how to sew as a girl, and I would spend a few summers on their farm, making my very own quilt. My Papa is one of my favorite people in the world, I love that he still tears up when he talks about the grace of God and is still the same consistent man that I remember my entire life... a rock, steady and unmoved- with an unwavering faith that cannot be shaken! I've never felt like I needed a Dad's approval of a guy, but his has always been a necessity. He is a cowboy and even when I was young, gave me my first and only personal pet- a goat named Jewel. My Papa has been my supporter even when my family thought I shouldn't take a leap, he has always taught his grandkids (majority girls) to reach past what people say you can do... taught us how to drive tractors and four wheelers as very young girls! I appreciate him so much, it was so great to see them both!! They have a pug named Joe, named after Joe Joe the 1st, who would pull me around by my hair when I was a toddler... scared the poo outa me then, can you imagine how big a little mini dog looks in a toddlers face... and scrunchy and breathing hard. When my Dad arrived, he had two of the kids with him, Zebriah and Hazel, so I was soooooo excited!!! Zebriah is my girl and I just love all my nieces and nephews- I love being the FAV. aunt!! (which reminds me, I forgot presents this time... so i gotta run to the store tomorrow before they notice!) We ate popsicles and played in the barn for a bit, then wound it down for the drive home.
The drive home started out CRAZY! I was sitting in the middle of two kids, who both wanted my attention, but wanted to compete with each other. So I had my right hand twisted in a hair tie cus it was funny that she could hold the other end of the hair tie and move my hand around, and the other side playing 'cell phone' games on a little toy phone. Then just when I thought I had it, I had a brilliant idea- LETS WATCH A MOVIE ON NANA'S LAPTOP!! So we sat in silence, no words spoken except when little orphan Annie would have a solo.. of course little orphan Zebriah had to scream along...until one was asleep, that drive was 3 hours!!
I knew we were close when we passed the neighboring town of Point, where I was talked into being a prom date my Senior year, wearing a hot pink dress and riding to the building on a John Deere tractor. Soon after we passed the football field and I knew we had entered the small, population 521, town that I call home. Past the High School that I spend so much time in and majority of my memories in this place, past the neighboring Elementary that I grew up in, which is now a shared building because a new Elementary was built right next to it, and then the Middle School, where I didn't go to school because our Middle School was from way back when, and after so long, it was done. My class was the last to be in that old worn down building, we ran it into the ground, knowing it was done for. Best year ever. After the school we went past the new Cafe, volunteer fire department, and through our one stop light. Past the post office and Dollar General, all these places hold my past, and are a part of why i'm here today. As All these memories came flooding back, I couldn't help but think of my partner in crime, Ash, who I miss incredibly!! My sister and her boo Scotty, who is the greatest and most patient person- she's lucky to have him, came over with Trevor and their new baby, Luke. Hannah and Al came out to pick up the kids, but didn't stay long. It was good to see all of them, and Trev decided to stay a little long and hang out with me. We played LIFE with Nana and Papa, where he was an athlete, I was a travel agent, Nana was a superstar, and Papa was an artist with a beach house! It was a fun game, then he retreated back up the road ti his Mom's house to sleep!
It's so good to be home, I love that I can sleep without street lights outside my window and hear coyotes howling (i know it sounds crazy to some, but when that's what you've grown up with...) I love being on so much property and just sitting outside and enjoying it. It's great to see everyone, and there will be so much more to come!
I'm retreating to be myself.
nothing to do in the AM but sleep in.
Goodnight.
Aunt Hope
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