Remembering Mississippi
by sarahmfry, October 03, 2011
I was just going through my posts, deleting old drafts and tidying up a bit. I decided not to delete this one but to keep it...it brings back a lot of fond memories. This is David's study at our house in Jackson, Mississippi. It's fun to look back at those busy but good years. David was working on his Master's at Wesley Biblical Seminary. We rented a house in Jackson where we lived half the week. Then we would pack up our minivan and go back to the parsonage where we pastored in Brent, Alabama. David was gone a lot and studied even more, but I filled my Mississippi days with taking care of Kayla (hard to imagine there was ever a time when there was only one baby around here), then Karissa, and keeping two fully furnished houses. We took a lot of walks and discovered a great museum and park in Jackson. I took a job driving for a family for awhile, picking their kids up from school and staying with them a bit. I also enjoyed singing with the Mississippi Chorus. That was a treat.
I'm not going to take the time to look up the picture now, but there is an image sealed into my brain of Kayla during these years. She was almost one when we moved here, and she would sit for hours in her room by herself - looking at books. It's so fun to see how that has turned into one of the biggest loves of her life - she still retreats to her room and reads for hours! Actually, as I recall, Karissa had the curious habit of emptying out dresser drawers. Now she's the one (at 7 yrs old) who tries on 5 outfits and changes clothes multiple times before going out to play in the yard. : )
It's been fun reminiscing. David still sits for hours - reading and studying and taking notes on his laptop. We still have stacks of books everywhere, but a lot of his dissertation reading these days is rare books and is done on his Kindle. How times change. But one thing we don't have which seems like an artifact! A landline! I actually see a real phone with a cord in this picture. My kids hardly even know that there are still phones with cords!
One thing these years of education & moving have taught me....that it makes sense to find the things I love about wherever I may live and to enjoy those things to the fullest. Because at every stage of the last 10 years together we have known there was a move coming before too long - from Ohio to Mississippi to Alabama to Indiana and beyond - I have had the opportunity to prepare for each change. In that preparation time is sometimes when I realize that there is always something I will miss. There is something to cherish and enjoy about each stage and location. Even if it is Jackson, Mississippi (which we have been known to affectionately call the armpit of America.) I have left out some of the more challenging memories. But overall, I remember it with great warmth. We learned so many things. We were happy and together. We had books and food. What more could you want?
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