Hello... Goodbye.

It's funny how fast time goes by. I think as we age our relationship to time changes because we know what to expect. We know how long a minute, an hour, a day feels. We learn how much "doing" we can cram into a specific time period. Little kids feel like a summer is an eternity because time is still something new to them.

It seems like yesterday when Steph and Bob arrived in our home at the beginning of July. They looked like the Clampetts from that old television show "The Beverly Hillbillies" driving up our drive. Their bikes topped the car and the inside was piled so high with stuff that you couldn't see from one side to the other. Pablo sat in his dog seat on top of the computer, his head close to the car's roof top. He looked like a king on a throne his head turning from side to side surveying his realm.

For days prior to their arrival boxes had been arriving via UPS. These were their worldly possessions gleaned from a house full of "stuff." The papers they needed for the inevitable taxes, some clothes and not much else. We were so happy to have Steph, Bob and Pablo here. Our lower level was ready for them for as long as they needed it.

Over the summer we adjusted to having them here. And yes, no matter how happy you are to see your kids come home it still is a period of adjustment to have another family live with you. You hear them get up in the morning, you hear them come home at night, your sleep patterns change to mesh with theirs. You can't run around in your underwear, you cook together and eat separately, you give them space but want them to feel completely at home.

It wasn't always easy. Our dogs do not get along. We had to keep them separate which caused stress for us all. Sometimes I wanted them to help out more around the house just like I did when they were teenagers. I had my own ideas about what I thought was best for them on a daily basis, but I learned to take a deep breath and trust Steph and Bob knowing that they were completely capable of making their own decisions without my input.

All in all we had an amazing time together. Quality time, not vacation time. Every day time where we watched television together or took a bike ride or a walk, or went downtown to a play or just sat and talked. This is the time that was so precious to me.

Now they're on to the next adventure... the island and all that it entails. I'm jealous and envious and a little scared. How great to have nothing but possibility in front of you. To be committed to living with less. To not knowing what the next stage looks like and taking the step anyway.

It amazes me that they've created the adventure of San Juan Island and it teaches me that anything is possible if we're willing to change and embrace the change. To not getting stuck in a routine just because its safe and tried and true. Steph and Bob didn't cower in a corner when they lost their home and lifestyle, they learned from their mistakes and just began creating "what's next?" This came from great strength, not weakness.

So, I'll miss them. But as time goes on I'll readjust to communicating by phone, e-mail, and the 3-times-a-year visits. One thing I learned from having Steph and Bob here is to not get stuck just because it's safe and easy. Tom and I have some adventures of our own coming down the waterway. We realized that we have been playing life safe in many ways, and we've decided to start taking some risks of our own. But that's another story.