You Can Never Go Back... Well, not really.

My family did something that is rather rare... okay, just rare for me.  We acted on an impulse and drove to the university where Teacher Man graduated, where we lived for the first two years of our marriage, where we brought our little baby home to our tiny married student apartment.  Good times.  Crazy memories.  To this day, a feeling of safety and anticipation fills my heart when we drive down the narrow streets, which all the cars appropriately treat as the neighborhood bike and running trails.

We drove there because, yes, we are construction stalkers.  No, local contractors, we are not crazy.  We just have boys who love to watch your excavators, bulldozers, backhoes, front loaders, and steamrollers.  Are you impressed that I know all those terms?  I can identify these vehicles now from quite a distance.  Just another benefit of raising sons.

The university is building a brand new science facility, and my big boy has been begging to take his pedal car to the old alma mater so he can check the progress.

This is Caleb when we told him what we were going to do.  Needless to say, he's excited.

 Yes, he insisted on wearing the hat.

 So so excited to drive his car to the construction site. 

Ben did not share his excitement (note the tears).

How could two brothers be so different?

Big brother chasing little brother around the fountain.

When did he get so big?

Future campus police?

Look out, bad guys!

The science building is almost done!

 Love the wind turbines the university has installed to help power the new building.

Just strolling around campus with this child makes me cry.   I walked these sidewalks for hours trying to make labor start.  He still insisted on being eleven days late.  

So worth every day.

Afterward, we drove off to dinner at the local ice cream shop that I craved all. the. time. when I was pregnant with this beautiful boy.  Here's your proof, expecting ladies.  Eat ice cream.  It makes your baby cuter.

Ben is just happy right now because we told him we were going to eat.

You'll find no pictures of the restaurant because... we were THAT family at the restaurant.  Kids screaming, too tired to enjoy french fries.  Too exhausted to let us eat quietly.  At least three families moved to get away from the zoo that was my family tonight.  (Bows head in embarrassment.) So a huge thank you to our friends Jeff and Julie for letting us picnic on their lawn so Teacher Man and I could finish our ice cream and our boys could run and be silly in the Great Outdoors.  

The day didn't end anything like I thought it would begin.  Going home to that university town just isn't the same.  We could not enjoy a romantic dish of ice cream and a quiet stroll around campus.  We raced the pedal car and comforted a tired baby.  We could not enjoy a peaceful dinner.  Instead, we laughed as our baby waved and said hello to every new person who came into the room.  Life has changed; and even though I'm covered in melted ice cream, ranch dressing, and sweat, I can honestly say that life has changed for the better.  We can never go back to our little life at the university, but we can embrace the full life that we've been gifted.

So here's to a taking a hot shower, getting a good night's sleep, and praying for new mercies for a grace-full day tomorrow.