deep in the heart

i am officially, once again,
a teacher on vacation.

i left two tuesdays ago
to drive the miles between
baltimore and houston.
my good friend, shelley,
will be teaching in texas now
and i volunteered
to take the road trip with her.
(and her dog and cat and fish!).
we stopped in memphis for some
delicious barbeque and
hugs from relatives.
arriving in houston,
her parents welcomed us with
smiles and margaritas (yum!).
another cousin and her lovely family
treated us to mexican food
(and more margaritas!) and
stories from all years that have passed since
we last spoke.

i drove to euless and reunited with
my aunt and uncle and cousins,
and ate more mexican food
(and beer!).

today i leave the lone-star state;
the big, rambling state where
most of my dad's family lives.

i was here eighteen years ago
when he died.
i came for the funeral and
once again the summer after that.
i hadn't been back since.

life went on.
i lost touch living my northeast existence.

over the last week,
i have connected with cousins and aunts and uncles
who have opened their homes
and arms wide to me.

i have discussed the history
of my ancestors and have
attempted to catch up
on all the happenings of
our clan.

so interesting to see the
faces that look like mine
and click with the personalities
and characteristics that are from
the same recipe that i am made, too.

it has been a wonderfully full week.
i am exhausted from all the goodness.
reflectively sorry that i let so much time go by.

so goodbye to the state
where the stars shine bright(ly)
late at night.

mmm hmmm...you know the song.

i will write more when i get to arizona.
yippe-i-kay-oh! ridin' west we go!