~soon time to cross over the mountain

It's the early morning here and all is quiet along the Western Slopes.  The roadways, at least in our part of the world, are clear and dry.  Looking out at highway 50, even at this early hour of the day, I can see cars moving along fairly well.  The recent winter storm has left this area of the country and is heading toward its next destination.  I'm thinking of all the folks who are in its pathway now and praying for their safety as they travel this holiday week.  May all be well for them.  I never thought all that much about travelling anywhere during the winter, leastwise until now.  Yet tomorrow, very early in the morning, we too shall join the throng of people trying their best to safely and expediently get "home" for the holidays.

Welcome to Tuesday and winter dear friends and family~

In all of my 58 years of life, I've never had to consider going "home" for the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas because, well because I was always there already.  When you live in the same state, shoot in the same county for all of your days I guess that's bound to be the case.  This year is different, a real first for this Kansas farm girl who now makes her home along the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.  Tomorrow Mike and I  will make the 611 mile trek over to the great state of Kansas to be with our two families living back there in the south central part of the state.  The Scott and Renfro families are expecting us and even though we were back there in early October for my class reunion, it seems like months since we actually were home.  What a blessing it will be to join them there at the Thanksgiving Day table on both Thursday and Saturday.  The 5 days will pass by so quickly and we have a lot to pack into them.  When we head back home to Montrose early Sunday morning, I hope that I can do so without crying.  I know, I know.....   I'll just keep in mind that at Christmas time we will get to do it all over again.  It gets better each time.

In thankfulness I can say that indeed my transition from living in Kansas to living here has greatly improved.  All along, people including my dear husband Mike, have told me "just give it time".  One of the greatest things that I've received in the past 6 months is the gift of new friends, some living here in Montrose and many others in my new "school community" of Olathe, Colorado.  It has helped tremendously in my quest to eradicate homesickness, to find other people who have found themselves in the same proverbial "boat" as I have been.  I was not alone.  I only thought that I was.  One very dear friend, another teacher at Olathe, just this week visited with me and told me of their move from the Houston, Texas area to this part of Colorado a few years back.  She explained to me how hard it was for her to be uprooted and just like me, she wished many times to "just go home!"  But she toughed it out and encouraged me to do the same.  My heart is full of love for Kansas and its people but I have "skooshed" things over a bit in there and now Colorado and its people are squeezing in as well.  So if you have felt a bit crowded lately dear "Kansas", well I guess that's why :)  

Well, it's time to get busy now and shut this computer off.  It and a thousand other things need to be packed very soon.  One more day at school with the "18" and tomorrow by this time, we shall be headed well to the east.  It will be good to see you my friends and family.  May God bless our journey home.  Be at peace everyone, stay healthy and well.  My spirit is most happy this day.  God has been so good to me and continues to bless me every moment of every day.  One more short sleep :)

                                     Kansas wheat harvest-summer of 1976

   Colorado's Black Canyon of the Gunnison, just up the road from our house-2013
           I'm happy to say that I have found the beauty of both Colorado and Kansas.

Two kids from "the land of long ago and far, far away" in January of 2013.

Same two kids, 11 months later on down the road.