Markers and Glue

Here's how my weekend trip went down:

I did successfully finish the most boring paper in the world before I left town. EPA policy is actually kind of interesting, but the way I needed to write about it felt like the world's longest book report. At any rate, I finished that bad boy right before getting into the car and heading for Iowa.

Ahh yes, Iowa. I grew up there, mostly... aside from that foray into Oregon (that's another post, I'm sure). This weekend I went to see Beans and her fam in North Central Iowa. Off I went, into the corn... the trip was great. I don't know why I like road trips so much. Part of it was excitement over seeing the Bean again. I'd been looking forward to going ever since we made the plan. I also love long drives because it gives me some uninterrupted time to think. A little time to reflect on life, you know. I also turned 36 last week, another cause for thinking about the past, and the future. I really love school, but I tend to get pretty myopic about the whole thing. I shouldn't hone in on just one thing like that - it's not really healthy - but I like to say that I'm not obsessed, I'm just focused....

So anyway, there I was, thinking about things, singing at the top of my lungs, occasionally listening to my GPS tell me where to go - I love that thing. I really do. When I make a wrong turn, it doesn't even bother to say "Recalculating..." which is great, because it would say that all the time (I make a lot of wrong turns. Hence the need for the GPS). I did eventually make it to the casa of Beans and Co. It was such a beautiful day that we went to sit on the porch, where two things immediately struck me. Watching her boys play on the hill reminded me of when we used to run around her yard when we were kids. Things change, but they really don't, you know? Incidentally, this was also the nature of my second realization. She pointed out the zip line that they had set up in the back yard. I may have giggled internally, at that point. Many of you may know that I am an honorary member of the Upah family - they have a zip line in their back yard as well. Tom and I have been pretty close friends for about fifteen years, and over the weekend I was struck several times at how similar my two friends are, though I know they have never met.

Isn't it funny, how we choose our friends? And isn't it funny which friendships actually last? So many times in my life, mostly when I was younger, I sought out who I thought were the "right" people to make friends with. Then I would try to be someone that I wasn't - which never seemed to work out. It turns out that the right people have seemed to show up on their own. I didn't seek either of these two out, and I don't remember in either case when we became friends, but both of them have had a great impact on me. Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans, I guess...

And I digress. I got to meet husband Kevin and the teeny peeps (does that sound like a band name?), and the kids are quite cute in person. I had a lot of fun with them, actually. I always wonder what kids will make of me - I wear funny shoes, I have funny hair, and I also came adorned with a Band-Aid on my forehead this weekend (that's another story). But it all worked out just fine. Max (7) and I passed notes on Saturday night, much like his mom and I used to do back in the day. He wanted to know the basics of his mom's friend - where I lived, background ethnicity, that sort of thing. We exchanged some pertinent information - he's quite smart with words and he likes to hunt squirrels. Zach is 6, appears to dislike rhubarb, and is missing his two front teeth. I did get to see one of the teeth. I always kept my teeth too... Will is 4, and possibly the most expressive kid that I know. Over the weekend, I think I watched him use every single muscle in his face. Mya is 2. She was a little shy at first, but she warmed up to me after a while. We put some puzzles together on the floor, and I loved it. I have quite a few nephews, honorary and otherwise, but only one niece so far. She's quite smart, as well... Kevin and I didn't share too much conversation, but it's pretty clear how much he loves his family.

And the Beans? Well, what can we say about the Beans? I did not recall how much of a smartass she is. How could I have forgotten this? Perhaps I blocked it out... At any rate, one of the high points of the weekend was just trying to keep up with her. It was interesting - usually, I'm the one making people laugh. This weekend, I wasn't the only one...

We laughed a lot. We told as many stories as we could in the time allotted. We went through some of her family pictures, and found a few photos of the four of us at one of her birthday parties. In a couple of them, I am rocking a particularly fabulous sweater vest. I would describe it here, but it has to be seen to be believed. And I'm sure that it will be posted somewhere...

Here's something I didn't know about Bean in 1986: she's one hell of a cook. Seriously. I have never eaten like that, ever. Of course, my basis of comparison is me - and I just learned how to make popcorn. So perhaps I am biased in these statements - but I don't really care. We ate things I would never think of making, and they were all fantastic. She is also an encyclopedia of food knowledge - everything you've always wanted to know about food, but your mouth was full, so you were too polite to ask. I think I gathered enough information to be very afraid of anything that has been partially hydrogenated.

After the teeny peeps fell asleep, we diverted to the computers for a while. Beaner had some small things that needed to be done, and it was my pleasure to try and help out. I think it helped me more than it helped her - it has been a long time since my IT talent has really helped anyone directly. It was a nice reminder that I do have some skills that really help people, that I am in school again for a bigger purpose. I sorely needed that - it's been a hell of a semester!

And then we chatted deep into the night. I might have fallen asleep in the middle of a sentence - I'm not sure. I think we at least covered the major highlights of the last twenty years. Besides, you don't want to bring all your baggage on the first trip - it sucks to have to check it in. ;)

It turns out that I found Bean just as I had left her, with her feet planted firmly on the Earth. When we were kids, I was always so concerned about what people thought of my family, because we didn't have much. Now I wish I hadn't measured myself by such harsh terms. (My best friend didn't.) And now I get another chance to reconnect with something a little more important. I guess we shared more than markers, in those days...

The moral of the story? Be careful who you share your markers with, obviously ;). I walked away on Sunday with a lighter heart, a better outlook on the last few weeks of school and a brand new set of emotional attachments. I came back home to find out that Jazz actually ate something this time, while I was away - she usually doesn't. She was pretty glad to see me, though. I also arrived buttcheek deep in homework. The final push has begun - and the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train - I hope.

That's all, Gentle Readers. Happy Holidays, whichever ones you choose to celebrate.