Sometimes it’s hard to know what Huck really thinks about leaving New York.  Kids are like loyal dogs; they just want to be with their pack.  Other than the bleeding dancer analogy (see previous blog), the only sign that he’s on the brink of total psychosis is when I accidentally mention a piece of furniture we’re leaving behind.  It all began a few weeks ago when I was tucking him in and casually mentioned that we’re getting him a new bed for his new room.  Through his cry-voice I vaguely made out the following words: “How can I not be upset when you’re basically telling me I won’t have a pillow top mattress anymore?!!!!”  This taught me two lessons right away: 1) the #1 rule of being a parent is to never mention anything with anger potential right before bedtime, and 2) perhaps we overdid all the pillow-top mattress talk. Then a few days ago I announced that we were getting rid of our big old wonderful half-broken couch.  Huck cried and cried most of the way home from school and said something that sounded like: “Why can’t I at least be a part of these decisions?” followed by “Now you’re probably going to tell me you’re getting rid of those dark couch pillows that I love!!!”

Er, uh … hey, let’s talk about the square root of something!

Last Sunday a guest preacher at our church gave a beautiful sermon written specifically for our congregation as we go through change after change after change.  We’re about to go, our head pastor Charlie’s about to retire, and the building is in the beginning stages of a massive renovation.  He said that often with Change comes Loss, and with Loss come Tears, but according to one of the Psalms, joy comes in the morning.  Now I’ve never been much of a morning person, so I’m not sure I would ever use the word “joy” to describe it, but it did get me thinking. These days we go from one goodbye celebration to the next as we hug and reminisce and make plans for letter-writing and visits.  And while Huck’s fears of changes & loss have taken the form of a really comfortable mattress & couch, joy is always around the corner.  When he wakes up in the morning he’s not dwelling on the furniture and landmarks and friends he won’t see anymore. Instead he’s back to his zen child self, enjoying the here and now and secretly reminding his parents to do the same.

‘Cause I’m going to miss that ol’ couch, too.