I'm back from my week in Montana. I've survived the jetlag and managed to get the awful smell of airports out of my nostrils and can now remember how much I thoroughly enjoyed my time with my daughter.

She's just moved into her first (rented) house with her bf. It's an amazing place, perhaps even bigger than our house and still decorated in the offbeat hippy-style of the teacher who owns it. LOL.. yeah, I seriously loved bits of it!!

My daughter is an incredible person. She's got such maturity and generosity of spirit.. while still valuing the mama-hugs and crazy memories of our earlier years together. She took vacation for the whole week I was there and we shopped, hung out and plain talked our heads off! It was absolutely wonderful and I feel like we've connected more deeply and honestly than ever in the past.

She made a few meals, I made a few and we let dominos do the rest. Her bf is sweet and never made me feel an intrusion.. even bought me 4 BOXES of Peeps when I mentioned we don't get them over here!

I stayed out of an almost-fight they nearly had, encouraging her only to boil down to the essence of why she was upset with him (nothing horrible) and secretly cheered her on when she made him gently understand her worry. I wish I was as forthright at her age!

We visited her granddad, laughed about times we'd shared while he was still with us.

We had LONG talks about her Dad and brother. She's so anxious for both of them to reconnect in a meaningful way and knows that nothing she does can facilitate that. It must come honestly from them...

She 'let me' spend a night with my best friend. LOL.. tables turned now.. she's the one who gave permission for ME to be out of her sight. And for the record, it's okay for her to be selfish with me, that she wants my time only warms my heart!

But I stayed with Sus for a night, we got all caught up on the gossip and checked out how the homestead decorating is going, oh and killed off a giant bottle of merlot!

I was so sad when my darling daughter left me at the airport. It physically HURTS to be so far removed from their company.. but on the other hand I was pining for Loubie. Even having both kids everyday would be no substitute for what I feel when I'm with my woman. So I tried not to let my mind linger on missing kids or the long flight ahead of me, but focused on home.. where my heart lives with Lou.