WAIT UNTIL IT BECOMES ‘THEY-HAUL’

The Sillies outside a self-storage facility in Ruston, LA (08JUL2022)

20 years ago last month, I drove a U-Haul from Woodhull, NY to Kinder, LA (with a stop in Wilmore, KY.) After that cross-country trek, we swore we would NEVER do U-Haul again. Ever. (There hangs in a collage in our bedroom a picture Erin took of the back of the U-Haul which was her only view for 3-4 days - if I didn’t know better, I’d swear she to this day has a twitch when she looks at that pic.)

Today was the first time since June of 2002 I rented a U-Haul truck. This journey was not cross-country. Heck, it didn’t even involve leaving Lincoln Parish. We were simply transferring some stuff to storage as we continue getting everything situated in our new home. Anna and Joseph (a/k/a ‘The Sillies’) were so excited to climb in and out of the back of the truck before and during our loading and unloading. You’d have thought they hit the jackpot when I gave them the chance to climb in the cab of the truck when we were at the storage unit, as you can see from the picture above.

Many times the pictures I take of them are candid, for I find they make the best when it comes to capturing the essence of the life of a child. This one, though, I did pose a little, for I hope they will get a good laugh out of it years later when they help each other move in and out of dorms, apartments, etc. If, for some ungodly reason, they wind up doing this on a day where the high is 101F and the heat index is 115F, I will remind them that in their first exposure to these conditions they were all smiles and absolutely eager to get in the truck.

Going further, as I look at this picture I see the joy of now and the sentimental anticipation of the future. Don’t get me wrong - we had a few ‘discussions’ as they ‘helped’ us throughout the day, and some of those weren’t my finest hours as a dad. But at the end of a long and hot day, my emotion is one of hopeful anticipation, for these are the moments of childhood that will form what I hope is not only a lifetime of sibling love but also some great stories to share whenever family gets together.

Of course, we already know at their tender ages that Anna will be driving when ‘They-Haul’ - or at least telling Joseph how to drive…which is also part of the natural progression of the sibling relationship. (And, if nothing else, they gave their daddy a great pic!)

Grace and Peace, Lamar

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