The Kayak

I came home from my post-op with the knee surgery and had some surgery photos with me of the inside of my knee.

LD:  Oh!  Are you having a baby?

Me:  That would be my knee.

LD:  Hmmm.

I am all the talk at physical therapy.  The peoples had reviewed my history prior to be coming in and expected to see a complete trainwreck walk through their doors on crutches and in a brace.  But, no.  I am walking sans crutches and free from all braces.  I am crushing goals and impressing the socks off of all who encounter me.

Do you have time to hear me be boastful?

I am supposed to be bending to 90 degrees.

I am bending at 130 degrees.

I know.  Be jealous of my progress.

Anyways.  Kate and I took a roadtrip to her new home.  Leading up to the trip, we were discussing what she should pack.  That girl was bound and determined to bring her kayak, so she bought a kayak rack and installed it herself.  I have an unhealthy fear of losing things when driving and causing a terrible wreck.  And, like a fool, I trusted that Kate and David could make sure the kayak was securely fastened.

So, we embark on the trip and about 90 minutes in, I see a blue kayak in my peripheral vision.

Me:  Kate.  Am I supposed to be seeing this kayak?

Kate:  Hmm.  I don’t think so.

So, we stop on the side of the freeway and attempt to tighten the tie-downs and what-have-you.

I texted David:  Almost lost the kayak.  Had to stop on the side of the FREEWAY.  Didn’t die.

David:  Ok.

It was comforting to hear him so concerned.

We hit the road again, and we almost lose the kayak again.  We stop again.  We tighten straps again.  We add another strap for good measure.  We didn’t die again.

And then it happened a THIRD TIME and I told Kate I was literally going to have a heart attack and could we please just leave the kayak on the side of the road.  She scolded me for the idea, claiming I should never litter, and then she called her father and they had the idea to shove the kayak inside the car.

I had my doubts, Reader.  Oh, yes.  I had my doubts.  On account of the fact that her entire car was jam-packed and I couldn’t see out the back window.  Also, please understand, at this point I am 9 days out from surgery and not as spry as I usually am.  So trying to secure and unload and shove and tie down kayaks on the side of a busy highway was less than ideal.

But we did it, and it took about an hour for me to calm down, but once I realized the kayak was secure, my heart started to return to a resting heartrate and I was able to listen to music.  And Kate sang her heart out along with me, and I was happy for her jovial mood, but, Reader, that girl should NEVER audition for American Idol.

Never.

Ever.

Anyways.  We made it to her destination, kayak and all, and I plan on texting her every week to ask her this very important question:

“DID YOU USE YOUR KAYAK, YET?”

Because I surely hope it was worth it.

Sisters Meagan and Jess sent us some trip “fun money” so we were able to stop for Java two times.  In the first photo, you can see the blue kayak behind us.

Kate couldn’t stop laughing at me for how dumb I looked in this picture.  Just, whatever.

We had some leftover monies and got a second treat a couple days later.

Fun times.

Anyways.  Kate is going to live with David’s brother, Jason, and his wife and kids.

Remember Jason?

All my kids double love their Uncle Jason and Aunt Amy, and they triple love their kids, so Kate is excited and David and I feel good about her being there.  It feels better than if she were just plopped all alone, eight hours away, with no one around.

Here’s a throwback photo of Kate with Jason and Amy-prob around 2010.

She loves them!

When we arrived, the little kids were helping Kate unpack and precious nephew-

Remember Precious Nephew?

Precious nephew helped grab a moving box from Kate’s car and ran to her room shouting:

“KATE!  I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU ARE A GROWN UP!”

And it is true.  She is a grown up,

Kind of.

People keep asking how David and I are doing with this-with our firstborn moving out.

It’s weird.

It is sad in a sentimental way, but not terribly sad, because it feels natural.  It feels like it is a good move for her right now in her life.  She went through a hard break up with Auggie and she needed a change of pace, an adventure.  And how lucky are we that Jason and Amy welcomed her into their home?  Kate adores Amy, and Amy has medical background.  Amy can guide her through some of her schooling decisions as Kate is following a similar path.  I feel blessed that Kate is with them and know that they will help guide her as needed.

It is odd to not have her around, though, and that will get some getting used to.  But we are happy for her and hopeful that she will connect with new friends and have a fun time.

Sometimes, we feel terrified.  We feel like she might not be ready.  Like when I was trying to help her find her new job in her new town and told her to turn left and she had to hold both of her hands up in front of her so she could see which side her thumb made an “L” on so she would know which one is left.  It is moments like those where I think, “I am not sure you are ready to be an adult here, Missy.”

But then I took her on this road trip, and she got her room all set up and paid for all of her things on her own and even offered to buy me some food at one point, and I think, “Ok, you are on the road to adulthood.”

I don’t know.  It is weird.  And happy.  And sad.  And terrifying.

We went to the river this weekend, and I opened the medicine cabinet up to brush my teeth.  I saw Kate’s toothbrush, and I thought, “Well, what do I do with this?”  Because I do not know if she will come to the river again before camping season is over.  And that was a strange feeling.

I left it there.

I helped Kate get her room all set up.

Complete with the parting gift we all got her for her farewell-

A personalized planter box with a plant-she is always SO hopeful she will be able to grow plants.  Yet, she kills them all.

Sad.

I had a lovely time visiting with my nieces and nephew.

I said goodbye, left my child 8 hours away, and hopped on a plane for home.

And now we are a party of five.

I guess?

Happy Weekend.