Moving On

One fall while teaching in Norman many of us were struggling with changes in curriculum and administration and Dr. Judy Ford, principal at Eisenhower elementary, reminded me that every fall was chaotic with new things to learn and that change was the only constant thing in life. I've never forgotten the smile or enthusiasm she shared when she said that.  I always felt change was a good thing in life, IF I were in charge of that change in my life, but perhaps that is a universal feeling or frustration as we all grow and face the changes through the years.

After eighteen years of living in Hutchinson and many changes in those years, some that we chose and major ones that others chose for us, Jack and I have decided to move back to our Oklahoma home and family in Norman.  Once we decided our hearts were lifted and we were happy until we sat down to reflect on our years in Hutch and the friends we've met around the state.  Now it's been tears of sadness and heartbreak when talking with friends, followed by tears of joy when I chat with my sister and daughter.  Our hearts pound with emotions.  Change is difficult even when it's our choice.

After Jack retired we traveled south and southeast looking for future homes and warm moist sunshine.  Marana and Tucson, Arizona also beckoned us to enjoy it's warm dry desert sun and the lizard inside of me said, "Yes.  Please let's sit on a rock next winter and be warm."  

Imagine the warmth.

But the heart of my family quivered and spoke, "Let's go home first, while we are healthy enough to start a new life and be part of our families lives once again."

Our secret search began before Thanksgiving as we drove around Norman reacquainting ourselves with a home we'd left.  By Christmas we were house shopping and in mid January we found a house with windows, sunshine, extra bedrooms, and a big backyard. Still we kept our secret and that hurt most of all.  We had our reasons for keeping it a secret, but now I realize it might have been easier to have started the dialogue earlier.  I wrote about our tree in the field growing old and dying and cried to myself inside as I knew when writing it that this would be our last winter to experience the life of that field.  I haven't been able to write since then on my blog, but I did send a story to "One Woman's Day" about Keeping A Secret....<http://onewomansday.wordpress.com/>  It helped me to tell my story, just as this story does.

Mike, Isaac, Ann, Jack, Letty, Jonya.

Yes, we are moving on, but not so far that we can't return for celebrations of friendships, rounds of golf, or just because we miss this home.  Sometime in March we will begin the moving process with hopes of being settled by Easter so our sons will have a home to come home to for Easter and other holidays; so our daughter and my sister's family will be near; so we can help Jack's mother who is moving slowly now in her 90th year of life; so we can gather with Jack's family and share stories and be there to help each other; and, so we don't have to travel far for those OU home football games!

It will be an adventure, and one that will create a few stories to share.  For those of you who follow my blog, I want to thank you and to say, I will continue to write.  It just feels good, and even better now that I have shared what's really happening in our lives.