Mississippi Mud Still On My Shoes

Laura Beth knocked on the door as she opened it. And there stood her parents. They greeted her with hugs and me with handshakes. They inquired about the drive and then invited us in. They talked for a while and I listened. Something I didn't expect but came to realize I probably should have expected because they hadn't seen their baby girl in almost 4 months. We unpacked the car and LB showed me around the house. Very pretty inside. I was to stay in her brother Michael's room at one end of he hall and she was in her old room both at the other end. Unfortunately I didn't have the pleasure of meeting the Micheal this time. He is a student at Mississippi State which is an hour or so away and had a lot of work to take care off. We didn't stay long because we had things to do! We went to Off Square Books and watched the Thacker Mountain Radio Show featuring local bluegrass musicians and a poet from Memphis. They recorded an hour long radio show for Mississippi Public Radio which was also broadcast live there in town. We left just a bit early and headed to Two Stick. Two Stick is a great little sushi/asian place in a really awesome old building near the Square and we enjoyed a great and filling dinner. After that we walked around the square, stopped in Square Books for her to get some coffee and to sit on the upstairs porch that overlooks the Square. I told LB some things I was thinking. We got back in the car and drove around a bit. While driving she realized she didn't have the materials she needed for an event she was to be at the next day at Ole Miss. She left them back in Louisville. After a few moments of crazy she made some phone calls. Nothing could be done until the next morning. We went back home and her parents were in bed or getting ready to be. I went up stairs to my room and waited for LB. She came in my room and we tried to figure out a way to get the stuff 450 miles south of where it was. We talked some more and I told her even more things I was thinking... it got late, so we ended day one.

I woke up to my Darlin's face peeking in my room telling me to get up cause we were going to meet someone half way to get the stuff. I dressed and went downstairs. Her mom was up and made coffee. She handed us some apples and granola bars and we hit the road. It was rainy so we couldn't have done much anyway. But what turned out to be a bump in the weekend turned out to be the most memorable time for me. We talked. And talked. And talked. It was beautiful the things we talked about. The drive seemed like minutes... and we were just 50 miles outside of Nashville... more than half way home. We met a very nice young lady at a gas station in Lexington, TN and then headed back... racing to be back before 2pm. Well, we made it... and no one showed up! All was not lost because of our great time of conversation and being together... I wouldn't have traded it for anything else. As she was at the event I walked around the Square. The rain had stopped and given way to white puffy clouds that seemed to be moving 100mph behind the deep blue sky. I went to Square Books, back to the porch and sat down to really take in all we had talked about. I talked with God about things and really enjoyed my time alone. She called me about an hour later and I went back to get her to go home for dinner with the parents. We ate dinner, or... they did. I didn't like it to much and I felt bad. LB knew I was picky... I know you are always supposed to eat what is put in front of you but I just couldn't. Pot roast. LB left to go back to Ole Miss for another event and I was there with the parents. Her dad and I sat at the table and talked. Her mom asked me about the railroad and I tried to explain without using all the RR jargon I've come to expect people to know when I'm telling them about the RR. We talked for about an hour at the dinner table, then we went into the living room to see if the Final Four games were on. They weren't, so we just talked some more. LB came back and it was getting late by then. We went up to her room, which became a ritual that weekend, to talk about the day. I concluded the day by telling her more things I was thinking. It got even later, so we ended day two.