Jerald left for Vegas Sunday afternoon, so I took Brooke & Laina and went to Goshen, Indiana, to see my older sister and stay with her for a couple days. Brooke is staying out there with my nephew and his wife for 2-3 weeks to help them out; they just had baby #3 with the oldest being 3.
I was born and raised west of Goshen. I went to a country school for my elementary years, a junior high school in Wakarusa and high school in Napanee. I got married a month after graduation and moved close to Lafayette, Indiana, before moving to Ohio 20 years ago. After my mom moved away from the Goshen area (a couple years after my dad was killed in an auto accident 21 years ago), I have not revisited my old haunts. We've been to see my sister, but haven't done any sight-seeing.
I emailed a couple of school friends that I have sporadically kept in touch with to let them know I would have some time to get together. Monday, I met 4 of my past friends for lunch, 2 of whom I have not seen since graduation, almost 28 years ago. It was so fun! We are all at the same stage in life and spent a LOT of time talking about our kids! The awesome part is that they are all Christians who love Jesus and we had so much to talk about.
On Tuesday, my sister and I went driving around. We drove back the lane of the farmhouse that I grew up in. It looks exactly the same. I have many wonderful memories there with my mom & dad, 2 brothers and 3 sisters. We went past my elementary school, old family homes and where friends used to live. The highlight was stopping at the cemetery where my dad is buried. I haven't been back there for many, many years. Even though I know my dad is not there, I enjoyed reflecting on who he was and his influence on my life. I still miss him and long for an opportunity to talk things over with him. He was full of life in every way. I regret the most that my kids will never know him. He LOVED kids and was always teasing and playing with them. In the 24 years I knew him, I NEVER heard him talk about another person in a negative way; and believe me, he had opportunity.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with my sister and her husband and catching up with friends.
8 years ago
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6 comments:
What a sweet time, Margaret. I'm glad you had the opportunity to revisit some good memories.
well, well, well - i was born and raised a hoosier, too! i grew up in mulberry indiana, near lafayette, and every summer we went to Fountain Park in Remington - not terribly far from where you grew up. i still have distant relatives who live around that area :)
i have very fond memories of growing up in small town USA.
Mulberry, Indiana.......I bet there aren't too many people in the world who have ANY idea where that is. Come to think of it, why would they need to?
I know EXACTLY where mulberry, indiana, is...just around the corner from where my husband grew up- flora, indiana.
What a rare gift - friends that you can have great conversation with after 28 years apart, just picking right up where you left off. I'm learning to appreciate "old" friends more as time goes by.
Praying for you & the family while Jerald is gone . . .
anyone remember the crazy biker-nurse on american idol last season? she was from mulberry :)
no, i didn't know her
brother barabbas - i'm going to pray that one day you will HAVE to go there so you can eat those words ;)
and to answer your email question, margaret - i went to clinton prairie high school, home of the mighty gophers! i played basketball and fast-pitch softball, plus ran track, and rossville was one of our rivals.
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