Apron Strings

My first road trip to Santa Fe in back in 1999 took place in 1985 Ford Tempo with my 7 year old son Devin in the backseat as my navigator.  I must have been crazy because that Tempo barely made it over the Raton Pass between Colorado & New Mexico.  This was the days before GPS & when cell phones just made phone calls, which made it even more of an adventure.  We just did it old school and mapped out the trip in an actual road atlas and I showed my son how to identify mile markers and exit signs.

I upgraded to a Ford Explorer in 2002 and then had no problems driving through the mountains.  This made it possible to make several more road trips over the years so I could satisfy my desire to be in that enchanted land.  Every time we left though, I felt like I was leaving home.

Devin is 21 now and has been living on his own for a couple years.  He's in the National Guard and plans to go to active duty when his contract is up in 2 years and will either be deployed or stationed somewhere else.  

As a single Mom it was important for me to give my son a sense of stability and family.  We lived with my parents during that time while I was earning my degree in business and starting my career.  Living with my parents helped me afford our road trips and provided Devin (and me) with a valuable education about our country as well as lots of memories.

Today I feel like the apron strings are loose enough to strike out on my own and start the next chapter of my life in the land of my dreams.   I'm just hoping that Devin can serve as my navigator on my next trip to my new home.