Not Good-bye

Ed and Mary on the edge of the Mogollon Rim, 25 May 2010.

Yesterday was tough.  We'd only been married for four days--four blissfully wonderful days--when I had to drive Ed to Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix and watch him board a plane back to Cheyenne.

I know it's necessary for him to tie up his loose ends so he can get moved here permanently.  I know I'll see him in just 3 more days, when Dylan and I drive to Cheyenne to join Ed on Saturday.  I know we both have a lot of tasks to complete, so the time should pass quickly.  I know...well, I'm pretty sure I'll survive this short separation.  But I miss him horribly already, and the tears seem to spill too easily and frequently.

How is it possible to feel so happy and so sad at the same time?   

When Ed arrived, we chose the Salt River Canyon route to bring him to our mountain home.  Yesterday we took the Mogollon Rim route to leave our mountain.  I wanted to share all the amazing scenery of our area with him.

Before we started down the face of the Rim, we stopped at an overlook to enjoy the breathtaking view spread out before us.  Jacob came with us so I wouldn't have to make the 3-hour drive home alone after leaving the airport, so we gave him the job of taking these pictures.  The lighting wasn't perfect, but the memories are.

We arrived at the airport before 8:00 pm, so we had about half an hour to relax and say our farewells.  It was awfully hard.  Ed kept telling me we weren't saying good-bye, we were saying "I'll see you soon."  Maybe, but it still felt a lot like good-bye to me.

When Jacob took this picture, he said, "You look like you're in pain, Mom."  It's called heartache, Son.

Ed's flight to Denver left at 9:25.  It was after 2:00 a.m. in Cheyenne when he reached his home.  It was just after midnight in Arizona when Jacob and I got back here.  Despite the lateness, Ed and I still spoke on the phone for a very long time.  We spoke again this morning.

This separation will be over soon, but meanwhile it just doesn't feel right for us to be apart.  You're right, my love, this is not good-bye.  I'll see you soon.