Mike and Allison arrived in Bloomington, Indiana yesterday evening. For me it was a bittersweet feeling. In one sense JoAnn and I wished we could be in Bloomington to greet them into our old home, our old Ward, and to the University. Yet, those times are behind us, we have moved on. It was about this time in 1990 that we arrived in Bloomington to start my new job with Indiana University. We came with 5 children, and the 2 at college eventually found us. It was another adventure and chapter in our lives and in some ways the most profound. We have lived a number of places, but in Bloomington we lived the longest we, as a family, had ever lived and I as an individual, had ever lived. It was a wonderful community. There was much to do and much to learn.
While we never learned to appreciate Indiana’s humidity we absolutely enjoyed the long springs and falls. After 13 years in Iowa we were prepared for milder winters and long springs and falls. The beauty of living in southern Indiana never became commonplace for us. Regardless of the season, there was great beauty to see. The spring flowers, the fall colors, the winter mists, the summer greenness. In each there was a great beauty.
The beauty of the place is one thing, but the people were also wonderful. Our children had life enriching experiences, made lifelong friends, and grew in so many ways. It felt like what home should be, but that was because of family, friends, and church. We lived on the edge of town and often I could walk home from work. It was only about 2.5 miles, not bad at all.
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| Story County Courthouse in Bloomington, IN |
But that’s our story. Mike and Allison are making their own story. For Mike it is a bit about going home, but it is also new. He was a son, now he is a husband. He was a student, now he is a breadwinner. He returns as a family and with a wonderful wife and to a community where he has friends. We are so excited for them. We are nearer the end of our story than the beginning, although with many pages left, and they are at the start of their story.
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