Winter Break Walks

Winter break walks with my daughter were not to be this time as I had hoped.  College Girl's month long winter break is almost over.  She'll be returning to school next week and I think I may cry this time.  I was hoping to carve out time for morning walks together during this visit.  But mornings escaped us - sick dogs, school break for our high schooler, increased holiday hours at work for my son, irregular work days for my husband, the holidays...  This was the only time that I can recall the month of December erratic and lacking in tradition.  I guess I've not yet made full adjustment to this new normal in California.  It's remarkable the thought that only a couple of years have passed since we became homeless and were taken in by various relatives.  College Girl was spared the trauma; she was safe at school, and away from all the terribleness the rest of us were left to endure.  She being away at college, sheltered and fed was my tiny glimmer of hope.

Today I'm regretting not making an effort to have a morning walk with whomever may have been up for one during time off from school and work.  I hoped to share quiet moments with my girl, or enjoy laughter-filled chats like "the old days" in Colorado.  In a few days we'll be back to getting brief nightly calls from our girl.  She's called us every night, except for the handful of times her schedule only allowed for a quick goodnight "I'll talk to you tomorrow." text.  It is sinking in that visits home will be fewer and further apart.  Her time has come to break away from the nest, you can just feel it.  I'm excited for her; I encourage her when she starts telling me about options she's open to for when she's done with school.  She's seems happy about possibly establishing life on the east coast... I love the thought of this.  I'm confident that she'll make sound decisions as she gets closer to finishing school.  I just wish we had gone on walks during this visit home that has flown by far to quickly.

I'm going to make the best of the next couple of days together, and anticipate her next visit home.  It'll be a special time because she'll be here just in time for her younger sister's high school graduation.  So, I guess I should still go ahead and make serious effort to take daily walks with hopes of shedding a few inches in time for springtime celebrations.  It'll be good for me.

As will daily video blogging.

So try to stop by my YouTube channel

This Is Fifty With Lil!

Stop by tomorrow for Five On Friday With Lil segments,

BlogHer NaBloPoMo