It's hard to explain how I felt when we came down to get you in Clinton. You have to realize that life is so much different when you're getting old. The anticipation of seeing loved ones is stronger than that of a child on Christmas Eve, waiting for Santa.....you look out the window a thousand times....convincing yourself that you really do hear the bells and the hoofs on the roof. That's what it was like. Buffy had of course gone down the evening before..to get a room, (no trail sleeping for her) and to ride that last 25 or so miles with you as you got into Clinton and prepared to stop your run for a while to visit us. As Ande was out of town, we had the little girls and prepared a little snack basket to take with us in the car. They were so excited to see "Uncle Jed", and to tell you the truth I was so happy they were here the night before we left. The time flew by with them here, their exuberation keeping me busy, and keeping my thoughts from running too far ahead. I hadn't seen you Jed, for a long time, and my mind was crowded with a jumble of emotion. Children outgrow their parents, but we parents never seem to outgrow the need to be who we always were to you. Funny how that works. In our hearts we know, but in our minds we tell ourselves we are indispensable, and we will always be a critical component in the lives of our children. In reality, we have prepared you so that you won't need us, then we ourselves have the problem letting go. I am doing pretty good I think really. I worry now, but I don't obsess. Don't laugh....it took a while to get here. Every now and then I see that little curly haired boy looking out the back window of the school bus transporting him to kindergarten, with a tear rolling down his face and his little hand waving goodbye. What you didn't see was the tear soaked face I wore into the house that day. I had to get my "calm face" on now, but as we pulled into the parking lot at the trail end, I didn't feel that way. We were early it turns out....imagine that!....the kids and I walked around a while, we threw the blanket out on the ground and had snacks....they were restless... You know how kids are,.. "Is Uncle Jed here yet?" "Is mommy with him?"
Roger's leg was hurting pretty good, so he sat under the shelter house, and I walked up and down a section of the trail with Ellye and Aeva. Old eagle eye Ellye found a mulberry tree, and I pulled a branch down and shared berries with them. We found a nickel, and Ellye invented a "shell game" out of trail dust and fine gravel to hide the money under a little mound, while we tried to guess which mound it was in. We played till they were quite dirty, then all of a sudden Ellye looked up and said "I see something! Maybe it's Uncle Jed and Mama!" I could make out a speck which continued to get larger, but I could not tell what it was. In time I could see a bike rider, who as she got closer, turned out to be your sister. A short distance behind, I saw a runner! I didn't have to see....I knew it was you! I ran back to the car to get my little camcorder while the little girls ran to meet you. When I got back to the trail, I got you running in with them. My heart jumped out of my body. You were home.
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