It was a bittersweet weekend.

I landed in Spokane on Friday night to below freezing temperatures and a few inches of snow. But the drastic change in the weather couldn’t chill the warmth I felt from my parents and siblings who welcomed me back home after 15 years of living out of state. The “Prodigal Son” theme lasted throughout the weekend as my family celebrated my return and treated me better than I deserved.

This was the scene I entered after exiting the plane on Friday night.

However, it was a little lonely walking the red carpet that they rolled out for me. Not being with my wife and children is odd and unsettling. When asked by my parents and even Sidney why I didn’t take advantage of the past two days to sleep in, I replied that it doesn’t feel right to snooze when I know my loved ones on the east coast are up. Needless to say, Facetime calls were in abundance this weekend.

Excitement and anxiety are whirling around my head at the moment. I can’t wait to begin my new job at Washington State University tomorrow! Although I definitely have nerves about my first day, the anxiety I am referencing isn’t job related. I think my readers all know what I am alluding to. The weekend brought more shocking coronavirus developments and that “weird feeling” I referenced on Friday night is more prevalent than ever. The uneasiness jolts me even more because I am not with Sidney, Sloan, and Beau.

But I truly believe the President when he says that this will pass, just like the 32 days remaining before I see my girls and baby boy again. As this weekend comes to a close, I am shifting my focus to the fabulous opportunity that will begin in less than 12 hours. My time as a Coug is about to begin! Don’t Blink.