Rainy Days and Mondays...

always get me down. Any Carpenters fans out there? Yes, today was both. It was great waking to a Saints victory but the morning was downhill after that. I was feeling sad and missing everything and everyone about home. Funny how "home" means so many different things depending on the juxtaposition.

Now, a friend living in Virginia is "home" as much as someone in New Orleans. Once you are across the Atlantic, "home" is the whole, sprawling USA. I mentioned to Mark today how this was nice and everything but I would go back home in a heartbeat. He was quick to respond- Not me! It made me think about the difference between men and women and how we interact and communicate.

Today I was especially missing the kids' school-Holy Name. I miss how welcomed I feel every time I pass through the door. It is as comfortable as walking in the door of my own house. I miss the faculty and staff as well as the parents. There are so many relationships that matter to me in that one building. They are the kind of relationships that have developed over years and are nurtured not by phone calls or e-mails but day to day interactions. Each one nothing fancy or life-changing but they all add up to something special, something hard to leave behind. Most of my important relationships are this way. Chatting with my friend Anne F. in her living room until it is so late I simply must sleep over. Sitting on the stool in Rebecca's kitchen while she prepares dinner, fixing all the world's problems between the two of us. Laughing with Ann R. as one of us lingers too long at the other's door with the kids waiting in the car, restless. These moments make up my life, both personal and professional because I am after all, a stay at home mom. They can't be replaced by Facebook or e-mail.

For Mark on the other hand, the Iphone (formerly his Blackberry) and the computer are his primary means of communication. A text message or a few lines posted on Facebook are enough for him (and I assume most guys) to relate to one another. Review the scores of the weekend's games and they are done. Admittedly, most of Mark's friends don't live in the same city. This is serving him well in our new adventure.

After feeling sorry for myself a bit this morning, I decided to cook beef stew for dinner. That helped get the chill out of the house and busied my mind. This afternoon when the rain stopped Sam, Mary Elizabeth and I walked to the library. It is such a quaint walk, most of it along a pedestrian-only street lined with small shops and cafes. That walk makes me happy and I was reminded of the fact that nothing good comes easy. I know what we are doing is a good thing for all of us. I know New Orleans and our family and friends will be there when we return.

Rainy days and Mondays may get me down but not for long. After all, the rain stops and Tuesday comes.

Dina