Petrichor – the smell
of rain on the dry ground. Any Dr. Who fan reading this is smiling and
knowing where I learned that word. But seriously, as someone who loves words,
how did I not know for 40 years that this incredible smell had a name?!
Tonight we could smell it on the air. The storm clouds were
dark and foreboding on the horizon and petrichor
wafted through the windows and the screen door. The day had been hot and full
of emotion and the cool wind and fantastic smell seemed to calm everything
down. Petrichor smells like change.
Today was the last day of school. Today was a day of closing
chapters and it was a day spent trying to further beautify my house for
potential buyers. My fantastic friend, Kellie, again gave of her time and her organizational
gifts to help out. This time she helped my eldest son work a miracle in his
room.
When I ooh’d and aah’d at the transformation, she shrugged
as if it was no big deal. No big deal to help a teen who was trying his best
NOT to be bothered that she was messin’ with his stuff. No big deal to bring
order to chaos. No big deal to bless me, asking for nothing in return.
Today was a day when I felt wholly inadequate at expressing
gratitude to the extent it was needed. Today I thanked teachers, principals,
school secretaries, and paraprofessional aides, for the amazing amounts of
support and care they have given my kids and I. Today I said goodbye to most of
them as we will be in new schools this fall if the sale of my house happens.
New chapters will be opened.
But these schools have been fantastic in the midst of grief.
Even before that they were fantastic in autism and the daily grind of middle
school and elementary school. But in the midst of the greatest crisis my family
had ever faced, they stepped up to support and assist in ways far beyond their
job titles. How do you adequately say “thank you” for that?
Danny Janklow, the principal at North Middle School,
responded to my thank you with a smile and simple, heartfelt words: “Thank you
for sharing your children with us.” I cried. Chandra Spotted Eagle, vice
principal, made sure someone took a picture of mom and Ryan together and then
gave me a long hug. Michael Deming promised to get me all the contacts I would
need to get Kati the best start at South Middle School this fall once we got
settled in our new home. Secretaries told me I would be missed but that I would
make a place for myself at the new schools just fine. Teachers gave hugs.
When I arrived home, still reeling from all this support and
love, I discovered someone had anonymously left flowers in a pot on my
doorstep. Ryan had wanted to plant more but with the move, I’d been putting him
off. Now he has something to tend that perhaps I won’t kill.
Tonight I am blessed and feeling less shaky on the precipice
of the unknown before me. Tonight I am grateful for the connections God has
helped me make and a little bit more confident I can make more in the coming school
year at new schools. I am a little more optimistic someone will love my house enough
to buy it and all will go well with moving us into a fresh place for fresh
starts.
Petrichor smells like a fresh beginning, a clean slate, I
think. It was the perfect smell to end a day like today.