Farewell Tennessee
Goodbye green, autum, beautiful spring and ice storm winters that turned trees into glass.
Goodbye Vanderbilt. You taught Jeff to cut and to sew, life and death.
Goodbye neighbors, BBQ’s, four square, Max the cat and 2027.
Goodbye tornados I hope you don’t follow us.
Goodbye to our church building and Temple that opened the month we moved here.
Goodbye Goodwill who has stored many of my treasures now left for someone else to find.
Goodbye to good friends who have graciously taught us to serve and be generous to whomever we meet.
Goodbye to hours of sewing that gave us groceries and rent. To those hundreds of bags that I leave in this state.
Goodbye to an overworked husband who sacrificed and gave all that he had without one complaint and no regrets. I leave that tired man behind and take with me a refreshed, honest, intelligent loving father.
Goodbye to the first fireflies that I met. I never knew they were real. I hope I always live around fireflies.
Goodbye country music, I hope you sound the same wherever I live.
Goodbye backyard we will mis you. We will miss the trampoline, but most of all, the children who came to fill in our fences.
Goodbye to our sweet toothless lady who drove the ice cream truck every summer. I hope she lives a wonderful life and catches many fish.
Goodbye brick house that kept us warm and held in our love.
Goodbye Publix grocery store. I will miss Mr. Peter who gave me a receipe for his late wife's aspargas and always sang "Sweet Caroline" to my girls as he took out my groceries. And to Loren who gave me hugs before he shut my car door.
Goodbye to heat lightning and wonderful rain storms that gave us so much green. You have spoiled me and don't know if I will ever be able to move back west.
Goodbye Otis Peach, one of my favorite people who taught me so much.
Goobye Textile fabrics, the Smocking Loft and Children's corner. If I ever own a fabric store I hope it will be like all three of you.
Goodbye Carnton Plantation, Why didn't I find you sooner? Goobye battle fields who hold soldiers and heros.
Goodbye to my walking paths. I hope you miss my big red stroller.
Goodbye southern accents. I wanted to take one with me, but it wouldn't be me if I did.
Goodbye grown men in overalls at the grocery store and women covered in monograms and pink.
Goodbye Tennessee, I hope to come back some day even better than I leave you.
All my love
Ms. Kristi
my last post from Tennessee
30 comments:
What great memories you have of Tennessee Kristi! You'll always have such great things to look back on, but the future holds many wonderful things for you family too! How lucky people will be to meet such a great friend like you, and such a great family like yours and Jeff's. We're lucky to have you in our family! Thanks for sharing all about Tennessee!
Love you!
Julie
Kristi,
I have goosebumps. Its so hard to leave a place that becomes woven into the fabric of who we are...
Onto a new chapter!
Tasha
That was so awesome. I want to go to Tennessee just reading that. I thought of a book as you wrote that, I loved the Persian Pickle Club, and Where My Heart Is, those two books wrapped up in your post. I only hope for the same great adventures and that Tennessee Kristi never leaves you, that she is brought to Washinton, and whereever you might go. I realize that just because we leave a place it does not mean it leaves us, the place becomes inside of us, it is who we are and in 30 years you will be telling your grandchildren about the time you lived in Tennessee. Lots of hugs tonight.
What a cute house! It sounds like you absolutely loved living there. I can't wait to hear about your new place.
I had goosebumbs too! So poetic. You will find so many things in your new home! I bet!
Kristi my heart is aching today. I will miss you more than you know. Probably the thing I will miss the most is your ablility to find beauty, love, and friendship in everything. I've seen those same grocery store workers, ice cream lady, and walked those same paths you have and never seen them in the same way. It is your ablity to take time to smell the flowers that you get so much out of life. Thank you for teaching me so much, dear friend.
Laura
What a poet you are, Kristi. That was such a beautiful tribute to the home you are leaving behind. (By the way, I didn't realize your house was so beautiful! Jealous.) I know you will build just as many fond memories in your new home and can't wait to hear about your adventures in D.C. Most of all, I love that you are leaving your tired husband behind and bringing along your new refreshed one!
You make me want to visit Tennessee! Your memories are so beautiful, what a great idea to write them down! Good luck with your move!
Tennessee will always have a special place in my heart, and your sharing your thoughts as you did has brought back so many wonderful memories of times we have visited you there. You have had some wonderful friends that I have enjoyed meeting, wonderful places to eat, and great places to shop, and I know that you will be missed as much as you will miss what you are leaving. Wonderful things await you in DC, and there are friends waiting for you to come. We love you all and wish you happiness in your new adventure.
Kristi- We love you and your family so much. We learned in New Orleans that to know the Cutlers is to love the Cutlers! I know you are leaving so many friends behind, but think of how many await you!!! Can't wait to hear from you in our "ol' country!" You'll LOVE it! Please let us know your new info when you get it! Lots of Love! Mindy
And hello to all of the wonderful things that you'll find in DC! I think you are the kind of family who will be happy wherever you are. You're such wonderful people--the kind that other people gravitate to. I'm hopeful that we'll read another post like this four years from now when Jeff finishes in Washington. I just know you'll love it as well.
Kristi, Tasha told me I had to check out your blog becaue of the absolute gold mine of ideas and resources and information it is (and she couldn't have been more right!). Well, I checked it out today, and though I hardly know you (which didn't prevent you from graciously showing me around town when my husband came to interview at Vanderbilt), I did get to spend a happy afternoon with you in your beloved Franklin, and your last post from TN made me cry. Beautifully written and so heartfelt. I know what it means to love a place and to have your heart torn to pieces when you leave (New Orleans was that place for me). I wish you all the best in DC (oh, the history you will discover!). And so, as your embark on your new adventure, as the pioneers used to say as they would set out to blaze their trail, "Wagons Ho!"
And happy trails, too.
Shawna Borg
I sat down to the computer so see if you had packed up your computer yet, and find, this wonderful post of your Tennessee home and life there. I can't stop crying, and I don't know why. That was beautifully written; I too have goosebumps. Washington DC is just filled with friends you haven't met yet. So have a great road trip and take all of our love with you to your next adventure.
what a sweet sweet post..i loved reading it.. glad you had such a wonderful time in tennesee.. makes me want to go...... good luck on your move
such a sweet endearing post. I am really trying hard not to cry right now. It is so hard moving away. Eventhough I have never moved so far it's still hard to say goodbye. I'm so glad you have such great memories there. Tennessee sounds like a great place to live.
What a great tribute to a place you have grown to love. Isn't it amazing how much places we live can become so much apart of the person we have become (although I can't believe you didn't pick up some of the accent? I tried in vein to not pick up y'all, but it somehow found a place in my vocab and now I love that I will have a small reminder of the amazing places we have lived). The thing I love- you really do find such amazing things to become attached to and to think about when you reminisce. I wish you all the best in finding those amazing things in your new home. I can hardly wait to hear all of the adventures. Safe travels. Lots of hugs and kisses.
Dude, i totally should've visited you guys there! Dang JetBlue!! well becuase im a guy i dont cry, so yeah. ughmmm it was *sniffle* pretty good to read *hysterically crying* because your my big sister *the keyboard is breaking down due to the tears filling up the keys* and i just dont know *loss of breath* what to say about *fainting* your wonderful Tennessee (ooh i spelt your state right!) life. *head fallen on the keyboard pounding the desk reaching for a tissue* I love you guys *whiping frantically* so much!
Kristi-
I have tears in my eyes. It is amazing how the years of our lives end up as memories, and if we are lucky we have put them to words. What wonderful memories, what poetic words. Maryland is ready with open arms to embrace you. There will be fireflies and lightning storms and green and friends and heat and even southern accents with monograms. You are not leaving it all behind. Enjoy your leave taking, enjoy your arrival.
We can’t wait to see you!
Kristi;
I am so sad that I wasn't able to come and visit. You've painted such a beautiful picture of Tennessee. You have many adventures waiting for you in DC, and more friends to make.
We love you!
Debbie
what the heck- I am crying over YOUR move! what a wonderful time you have had there in TN! I love the descriptions- you are motivating me to think about what I'd say even though I'm not moving! I think Washington DC will be a different wonderful because YOU and your sweet family work to create a wonderful life, regardless of the state you live in! GOOD LUCK KRISTI!!
I think one of your many talents is writing reflective poetry. This is absolutely awesome. I loved it. Well done. What a great way to document your feelings about Tennesse.
Kristi, we wish you safe travels, and the hope that you will build as much love for DC as you have for this home. Thanks for keeping us grounded! I have enjoyed catching up with your family...
-rebecca s. in MO
Kristi, I just came back to read this again because I loved it SO much. It's making me want to go back in my memory and write something like this about all the places I've left behind... inspiring.
I hope your travels are going well and can't wait to hear about your arrival.
kRISTI- i KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVED YOUR HOME AND MEMORIES YOU MADE IN TENESSEE! YOUR EXPRESSIONS WERE TRUE TO HEART AND VERY CAPTIVATING. I THINK BACK, AND REALIZE THAT I WAS ABOUT ANNIE KATE'S AGE WHEN I LIVED IN DC AND I HAVE SO MANY GREAT MEMORIES OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE DID THERE. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE FOURTH OF JULY OVER THE NATION'S CAPITOL. YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE IT THERE! I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS YOU FIND WHEN YOU ARRIVE,LOVE, HEATHER
Good luck Kristi, it is always tough to move. We've moved more times than I want to think about in the last eight years. You will make some great new friends, I am sure of it. We are packing up this weekend to move to CT, so I will be forging new trails too. DC is such a great area, your family will have a great time there!
Love, Liz
I love that you wrote all of that down...and in such great form. You have skills! You should have showed us a picture of your house sooner so we could have been jealous while you still lived there. Good luck to you on your move! I can't wait to hear your tales of DC.
love it! So beautiful! Good luck on the move and fill us in when you get to D.C.!
I just found your blog today. I LOVE this post. Can't wait to read more of you.
What a beautiful post, such fond and sweet memories. Thank you so much for opening your heart and bringing a tear to my eye. You have such a wonderful way with words and I'm anxious to hear about your new adventure.
Kristi, I was showing Ande some all time great blog posts out in blogland (she's getting ready to start one) and this was one of them. I remember this post was my first visit to your blog...I still think of it and am so glad I found you.
Love,
Jane
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