Molly

Photo by Captured by Casey

Road Trippin’

S asked where I wanted to go on our next date. I told him anywhere. But then I told him I wanted him to take me to Graceland.

This was a test, of course; but he passed. I spent my break driving up to visit friends in Georgia, then up to his place in Alabama, and then we traveled to Memphis.

Oh, how I love Elvis. Although he did not quite get my request or why I would not have rather been somewhere tropical on a beach, he humored me anyway. We spent the morning touring Graceland, then headed over to Beale Street for lunch.

It was actually rainy and cold but not crowded. I enjoyed it. We took our time, and then we went to Sun Studio that afternoon. I love Sun Studio! It is worth the trip in itself, there is such much history in those walls. The tour was fantastic, and it ends with guests getting to walk around and touch some of the actual equipment. Allegedly, this is the actual microphone Elvis would have used during his sessions.

That evening, we headed south across the Mississippi line to Tunica. We stayed at one of the casinos, an absolute first for me. I do not gamble, and am very tight with money, but I played around with his.  Almost immediately, I won $100 on a penny slot machine. I think that is a great omen for our future.

Our luck continued the next day. We drove back east through Tennessee to S’s hunting property. We took the back roads, and I was in heaven. I absolutely love that area of the country. It was unseasonably cold, and I was day dreaming the entire way of seeing snow. When we got to his property, which is breath-taking, I stepped out shivering and said, “I really feel like it’s gonna snow, it’s so cold. I think that would be amazing.” No sooner had he laughed off what I had said than small flurries started falling. I kid you not, I could not have scripted it better! He was just as tickled as I was, and I ran around like the crazy Floridian that I am just laughing and trying to catch the flurries with my tongue.

This is one of my favorite pictures, because we snapped it in that moment. Genuine happiness shows, and it exemplifies exactly what the year of yes journey means to me.

 

Becky Jo

My First Favorite Students

It was fitting that, immediately after my last day teaching, I loaded up and headed back to the very place I had started my career in the first place– tiny Montgomery County, Georgia, located just outside of sweet Vidalia.

I do not get to go to what I call my Georgia home much. However, I was invited to a baby shower hosted by my first favorite student, Nikki, for another of my first favorite students, AN, and his wife. AN lives in the home of the lovely Mrs. B, who was the head of the social studies department at the local high school, and who took a chance and hired me, even though I was only 23 and had no experience or degree in education. She literally changed the course of my life.

I helped Nikki with the shower and enjoyed myself immensely, for I have forgotten how beautifully traditional things are there. I sat back and listened as the sweet church ladies gossiped in their slow drawls and admired their impeccable manners and gift wrapping prowess. I miss living there a lot.

Nikki’s parents were always so kind to me, and they treated me like family. She was 15 and a freshman when I taught her. I was later in her wedding, and I pray for her gorgeous daughters. I spent the night with Nikki and her husband, and her parents joined us for a night on the town at one of my old stomping grounds, The Tree House. We all had a blast, laughing and singing and just cutting up. We also learned a lot about the bite of a water moccasin. It’s a drink and, if you have never had one, I highly recommend it, but in moderation, because it could be “deadly.”  

That night, something incredible happened. Nikki came in and tucked me into bed. When I was a little girl, I craved for my mom to do that; but my mom was not affectionate, so it never happened that way. Before she walked away, Nikki kissed me on my forehead and told me she loved me. She can never understand just how much that show of affection meant to me. I was flooded with emotion, and time stood still, and I will literally remember that simple act as long as I live. A piece of my broken heart was put back together again.

I worry a lot about growing old and the financial sacrifices I have made to be a teacher. However, that day and those people reinforced everything I believe in. Life is about relationships and love and, if I am a pauper one day, be sure that I have lived a very rich existance.

 

“The ScoutLaw”

A Country Concert

One of my friends had extra tickets to see Luke Bryan in Jacksonville recently and offered them to me. I was hesitant, because that is an extravagance that I do not indulge in often; however, it is the year of yes, so I took her up on the opportunity. My surrogate mom, Charlotte, gladly agreed to go with me, and we made it a night to remember.

After dinner, we headed to the tailgate party outside of the arena. We had a blast, dancing and people-watching. We even ran into several people that I went to high school with, and it was so great catching up. Charlotte and I made the Jacksonville paper and the local radio station’s website. We felt like stars.

My Fellow Georgia Southern Alum

The concert was amazing. I have seen Luke Bryan many times, and he never disappoints. It was fun sitting by my friend and her fella, too.  The four of us had a blast singing and dancing the evening away.

Afterwards, we took a huge detour around Jacksonville trying to get back north. Charlotte is worse with directions than I am, and even my car’s navigation had us cutting through the bad sides of town. But we finally made it, and it was wonderful settling in to my bed in the cozy room that Charlotte keeps for me. It’s filled with pictures of me, the kids, and my mom and makes me feel loved.

Before heading home the next day, I met up with a former student of mine who I had not seen since 2002. We have kept in touch via email and phone, and he is now a teacher. He treated me to lunch at The Florida House Inn, one of the oldest hotels in Florida, located on beautiful Amelia Island. We caught up, strolled the historic downtown, and then I stopped at one of my favorite spots on earth– Fantastic Fudge– for my go-to flavor of ice cream, rocky road.

I could not leave without spending time with my Mom at the beach in solitude. I read a book, napped, prayed, and listened to my Mom’s song, “Drink a Beer,” by Luke Bryan, of course.