Transition

A somewhat quiet but significant weekend lies ahead. In about an hour, Bill and Willie will head into Spokane Airport. Then, Willie will board a plane bound for Boise. It will be his last trip there for a while after making the 900-mile round-trip journey---either by car or plane---nearly every weekend for the past 20 months.

This weekend Willie and Debbie will load up their belongings into a U-Haul, say what are sure to be some tough good byes to Debbie's family and friends, and head off on the next journey of their married life. The commuter marriage chapter will make way for a yet unknown saga for this couple who were wed nearly four years ago.

Willie admits to being apprehensive about this big step for the two of them. For the first time, neither will be working while attending college. Hopefully, soon, both will be employed. They'll live in an apartment in North Spokane, where Willie figures top ramen may be the cuisine of choice for a while as they get settled.

Right now, the "unknown" still rules both their thoughts. A week ago, all they knew about their future was the big, vague notion of Spokane. Then, they found an apartment. That finding narrowed their vast concerns, giving them an anchor from which to operate. They, at least, know where they'll take that U-Haul and where they'll deposit their belongings.

Next week, after spending a few days in Sandpoint, they'll move into the apartment and begin a brand new routine. Possibly once that happens, Debbie can concentrate on the job hunt while Willie gets accustomed to his new morning commute to Newport. A month from now, all this apprehension could turn into a blip on their historical log. Funny how a little time, knowledge and experience can erase many of our monumental concerns.

We'll definitely miss having Willie or "Big Man," as Bill calls him, around here at the Love house for the morning newspaper banter and the evening meal at the kitchen counter, but for us, a new door opens just as it does for Willie and Debbie. Trips to Spokane to see how they're doing in their new Love house will definitely add some spice to our life.

And so, we all move on to the next phase and new adventures, yet unknown. That big scary "unknown" definitely causes us a few nervous moments in life, but somehow we always manage to face it and then wonder why we worried so.

Good luck, Willie and Debbie. You'll do just fine!