Travel much?

Clearly, I do not.

I arrived in Tallahassee Friday night with all of the essentials: my computer, phone, and their cables. However, I did not have the little things; like a brush, toothbrush, or deodorant.

A sticker on the mirror at the hotel reassured, “Forget anything? Ask for it at the front desk.” So I asked. I can follow instructions. I didn’t think the answer would be “no.”

Silly, silly boy. I’m so cute, innocent and naive you could just reach out give my cheek a good pinch.

The highlight of the trip was my mother’s smile shortly after I got there. She’d been out to a movie and did some shopping with my dad Friday, before I got there, and she looked better than I’d seen her in a long time. We did dinner and went back to the hotel to talk and look over the most recent pictures of the kids.

It was all good, surprisingly good.

We met for lunch Saturday and went into town for my first tour of the old Capitol building. I’ve been to Tallahassee many times, but I’d never even driven through downtown before.

After this weekend, I’m not so skeptical of the idea she’s ready to be released to an assisted living facility. The end of our visit makes me all the more hopeful it’s sooner rather than later.

I left with one of those frozen moments in time, repeating over and over in my mind. The large, secure ward door, and a haunted look in her eyes as it banged closed between us back at the hospital in Chattahoochee.

I’m trying to focus on the positive though, and there were a few – more than I expected.