Home Again

Day 16 of the Slice of Life challenge by Two Writing Teachers.

We had a wonderful whirlwind weekend with family.  My brothers and their families left yesterday, so this morning, our last morning at my mom's house, was far more quiet than normal.  Only my sleepy children and hubby to stumble down to breakfast, still wearing their pj's.  

My mom and I got our quiet morning coffee time together.  It is always nice to have her all to myself for a bit each trip.  She is a whirling dervish, so time sitting together is precious.  She brought out a plastic box she picked up the last time she visited her brother.  In it were treasures more valuable than gold.  Well, to me, at least.  Photos of my grandparents when they were young, and of their many siblings, and two little books I had never seen before.  The journal of my grandfather from 1946, and a ledger of his father, my great-grandfather.  As the family historian, these treasures are now mine, although I left them with her along with instructions to write names on the backs of the photos using photo-safe ink.  I'll return in a month's time on my way to the Texas Library Association's annual conference and pick them up.  

We went for a long walk this morning on the trail behind her house.  The countryside is so different in the Hill Country than in East Texas.  It has its own beauty, filled with various cactus and mesquite trees.  It is a harsher beauty than the lush foliage and tall pines where I live, but one I also appreciate. It was nice to have a brisk walk, hearing the cooing of doves as we stretched our legs a bit, especially considering the 4-hour drive home we made this afternoon!

And so, we have arrived home.Tired, but happy, with the rest of our spring break week ahead of us.