Jill's Journal: Weekend visit home was worth the wait

For weeks, I’ve been asking my mom if she was ever going to let me in her house again?

And for weeks, her hesitant response remained the same: “Well, I don’t know.”

I understood. It wasn’t me that she didn’t want to see, but it was the fear of me – or anyone else for that matter – that could infect her with the coronavirus. Instead, this mother and daughter, like many of you, simply had to be content to talk on the phone since I last visited her in mid-February. 

It’s now four months later – almost to the date – and for the first time since my February visit, I walked through her door last Friday. I gave my mom a big hug then and before I walked out the door on Sunday afternoon. 

On my drive there, it came to my mind that four months is the longest amount of time in my near 57 years of life that I’ve gone without seeing my mom in person. 

Four months apart. It was hard.

I’ve missed sitting at her kitchen table hashing over our lives and family matters. I’ve missed our banter over the thermostat: I’m hot, she’s cold. I’ve missed laughing with her over silly things that happen in life. I’ve missed treating her to small gifts of things she won’t buy for herself. I’ve missed doing the little things that need to be done around her home, like picking up sticks on the lawn, hauling out the recyclables or sweeping out the garage, many of my usual “chores” when I’m there. But to me, they’re not “chores.” They’re little things that she needs done, and little things that I want to do for her as long as God grants us the opportunity to do so.

Four months apart. It was hard, but wait for a weekend visit home, was so worth it.

McHardy Movie Night

I’d like to invite you all to the very first McHardy Movie Night this Thursday at McHardy Park. “Sonic the Hedgehog” will be on the big screen, compliments of the City of Brandon, the Brandon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, Hegg Realtors-Harry Buck Team and the Brandon Valley Journal. There are four more movie nights planned for July and August, which will be sponsored by local businesses. 

Hope to see you there!