Dear Jen, another beautiful, poignant essay. When I prepare to read these I know the sweet pain of nostalgia is coming my way - but like the pebble in the shoe, I want to press on it. Darn it. We have the kids come home. We see our “eight days” fly by. I’m always reminded when I read your lovely essays “ where did it all go and why did it have to go so fast?” Thank you, Jen
Beautifully written as always Jen! Thank you…. You always create such a vivid picture of each and every experience - you transport us through a journey of our own memories as you recount your own! Always a pleasure to read! ♥️
I love your question, is telling your child you miss them the first germ of homesickness. I wonder this myself, and oh do I miss her. And the artifacts of a visit - no drawer use whatsoever! Thank you for sharing your beautiful gift of capturing these fleeting but important and poignant moments. And... how did we find the gold? In a rush. Just the best from L as always.
Thank you, Jen. I was trying to describe to myself the phase of parenting we are currently in as college baseball parents 3,000+ miles away. The ESPN+ phase? The tech support to grandparents phase when ESPN+ is glitching and you have to help the 80 year old watch the game that their grandson is not playing in - but might! The watch espn+ on your phone at work while helping families navigate their fear of deportation and family separation, cancellation of medicaid and subsidized childcare. ESPN+ is such an excellent distraction from this reality. The how long can you hold your breath phase when you are watching your son pitch on tv? The grandmom is now on the team parent group text phase and it is clear that she is not a baseball parent and doesn’t seem to understand baseball and all the failures and superstitions that go along with it? But maybe her “great playing” message and texts in French (???) texts to the parents are bring some chuckles to lonely parents. 😘
Love this! So relatable, especially the unpacking "There’s no point to moving in to drawers for one week. It’s too temporary. Because this is now a Visit." My heart still feels so heavy every time they leave but as you so eloquently write they have Young People's Lives to live. (And I have so many fond memories of the drives back and forth to HMB with my little people—I could picture each of the places you drove past). I love getting your writings in my emails and enjoy them immensely. Thank you for sharing your gifts.
The heavy departure heart. Why weren't we warned?! But those Young People Lives are mighty sparkly. And entertaining too, esp for you since you have the arts and sports covered ;) Thank you for always reading, Jenese❤️
It's 4:30 on a gloomy Sunday. I just made myself a fresh cup of coffee and set down to my computer to journal my Storyworth question of the week. A gift from Miles, so that I can document moments of my life. At the end of the year, it will be bound in book form and set to him. But then I saw your e-mail and began to read. Ahh, like many before me have stated, your words are clear pictures into the moment and feeling that we all share. Just lovely. Thank you.
I love this little moment, Laurie. Thanks for sharing and reading and these very kind words ❤️And of course Miles got you that crazy special gift. That guy!
Thank you for summing up this stage so perfectly - being so happy about where they are, because it is where they should be, but also so sad with the tightly made beds.
Mike and I were watching a movie last night. A little boy ran into his father's arms, and the father scooped him up and hugged him tight, burrowing his nose into his son's neck for a long, deep inhale. It was a beautiful scene that caught in both of our throats and made our eyes leaky. Memories of long ago days. You've captured that "lump in the throat" emotion so clearly here - the happy sadness of it all. I love your writing. xxoo
Dear Jen, another beautiful, poignant essay. When I prepare to read these I know the sweet pain of nostalgia is coming my way - but like the pebble in the shoe, I want to press on it. Darn it. We have the kids come home. We see our “eight days” fly by. I’m always reminded when I read your lovely essays “ where did it all go and why did it have to go so fast?” Thank you, Jen
Way too fast. Sheesh. Thank you for reading, Chris. And for always leaving the nicest comments. It means so much.
Beautifully written as always Jen! Thank you…. You always create such a vivid picture of each and every experience - you transport us through a journey of our own memories as you recount your own! Always a pleasure to read! ♥️
I love to hear this, Karen. The transporting is always the goal :) ❤️
Jen you always take me somewhere special. Thank you.
I love this, Alice. Thank you❤️
I love your question, is telling your child you miss them the first germ of homesickness. I wonder this myself, and oh do I miss her. And the artifacts of a visit - no drawer use whatsoever! Thank you for sharing your beautiful gift of capturing these fleeting but important and poignant moments. And... how did we find the gold? In a rush. Just the best from L as always.
I guess we're in our Questions and Artifacts Epoch? Which also happened in a rush...
Thanks for reading and commenting, Jenn❤️
Love this and the ocean and you and to be honest, feeling very distraught that I didn’t participate in The Great Goat Chase 🐐
Come over and I will do a special reading of The Great Goat Chase just for you ❤️
Crafted beautifully as ever—both heartwarming and humorous—a winning combination for sure! Loved it—a lot! ❤️👏
Thank you — for this and for going through that Young Kid epoch by my side❤️
Thank you, Jen. I was trying to describe to myself the phase of parenting we are currently in as college baseball parents 3,000+ miles away. The ESPN+ phase? The tech support to grandparents phase when ESPN+ is glitching and you have to help the 80 year old watch the game that their grandson is not playing in - but might! The watch espn+ on your phone at work while helping families navigate their fear of deportation and family separation, cancellation of medicaid and subsidized childcare. ESPN+ is such an excellent distraction from this reality. The how long can you hold your breath phase when you are watching your son pitch on tv? The grandmom is now on the team parent group text phase and it is clear that she is not a baseball parent and doesn’t seem to understand baseball and all the failures and superstitions that go along with it? But maybe her “great playing” message and texts in French (???) texts to the parents are bring some chuckles to lonely parents. 😘
It's quite the phase indeed! Thanks for reading and commenting, Catherine ❤️
loved all 6 sixths of that fractional gloomy truck beach day :)
it was wholly good❤️
Love this! So relatable, especially the unpacking "There’s no point to moving in to drawers for one week. It’s too temporary. Because this is now a Visit." My heart still feels so heavy every time they leave but as you so eloquently write they have Young People's Lives to live. (And I have so many fond memories of the drives back and forth to HMB with my little people—I could picture each of the places you drove past). I love getting your writings in my emails and enjoy them immensely. Thank you for sharing your gifts.
The heavy departure heart. Why weren't we warned?! But those Young People Lives are mighty sparkly. And entertaining too, esp for you since you have the arts and sports covered ;) Thank you for always reading, Jenese❤️
Love! Wishing us lots of days with beautiful blue spaces, blue sky, blue oceans and blue uniforms head. XO
Bring on the blue 💙 Thanks for reading, Kelly.
So relatable Jenn. You put into words what I feel when we get a visit from our college grad. This parenting stuff is not easy no matter the age
Thank you, Eric ❤️ I'm glad you could relate? Or maybe better to say I'm glad none of us are alone in this very not easy job!
It's 4:30 on a gloomy Sunday. I just made myself a fresh cup of coffee and set down to my computer to journal my Storyworth question of the week. A gift from Miles, so that I can document moments of my life. At the end of the year, it will be bound in book form and set to him. But then I saw your e-mail and began to read. Ahh, like many before me have stated, your words are clear pictures into the moment and feeling that we all share. Just lovely. Thank you.
I love this little moment, Laurie. Thanks for sharing and reading and these very kind words ❤️And of course Miles got you that crazy special gift. That guy!
Thank you for summing up this stage so perfectly - being so happy about where they are, because it is where they should be, but also so sad with the tightly made beds.
Oh for the rumpled beds and clothes on the floor! But grateful we're going through all these stages together ❤️
Mike and I were watching a movie last night. A little boy ran into his father's arms, and the father scooped him up and hugged him tight, burrowing his nose into his son's neck for a long, deep inhale. It was a beautiful scene that caught in both of our throats and made our eyes leaky. Memories of long ago days. You've captured that "lump in the throat" emotion so clearly here - the happy sadness of it all. I love your writing. xxoo
You made me cry, Mrs. ❤️ Those inhaling hugs. Can we scrap the whole space travel idea and focus exclusively on time travel??
Beautifully written and SO relatable. Thank you!
Thank you for always reading and supporting, Karen❤️
So beautiful. I reallly felt that.
Thank you, Lara ❤️ How's Lucas' shipped-box-opening velocity? ;)
About the same as Gus's!! :) xoxo