Contributed by:
Kristin Morin/YourHub.com
Article Contributed on: 2/23/2009 4:25:45 PM
If you noticed a tall, slender lady, with bright blue eyes and short, prematurely white hair wandering around the Denver metro area last week, that was my mom.
Recently, out of the blue, she called wanting to visit for a long weekend.
My mom works with kids needing extra reading and math help at an elementary school in Michigan. She enjoys her work, but like many people who work with children, she needs a break every now and then. Especially when her students refuse to do their work with her, citing reasons such as "White hair gives me a headache."
My mom loves Colorado, but has only spent extended time in the mountains, not much time in the city.
I had to work two of the days she was here, but armed with my handwritten directions she decided to venture off on her own. Within 20 minutes of dropping me off at work one day, she mixed up two sets of directions and was halfway to Red Rocks on her "way" to Cherry Creek Shopping Center. I was worried how she would fare with more than eight hours still left to her own devices. But she successfully navigated to some metro-area highlights, the Denver Botanic Gardens, Cheesman Park and The Cheesecake Factory.
Since we already spent a day of snowshoeing at Rocky Mountain National Park, pet the sting rays at the aquarium and hiked Dinosaur Ridge, I think my mom got a decent dose of mile-high life in her four-day trip.
As independent as I try to be, for a gal living with her cat, 1,200 miles from home on a journalist's salary, there's nothing better than a visit from mom.
By the end of her trip, moved by the ramen noodles in my cupboard and seeing me walk awkwardly on the wet pavement because of a hole in the heel of my right shoe, my mom whisked me away to King Soopers and slapped down plastic for two new pairs of sneakers. I guess, there are some things that will never change - with an empty nest, she's always going to be The Mom when she can.
Usually when I write stories about vacations, they involve going places or doing exciting things. This weekend really showed me that being close to home can be just as great of an adventure, especially if you are with people you care about.
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