Home Sweet Home

It is good to be home. I miss the mountains of Eastern Tennessee, which reminded me of Pennsylvania where I grew up, and I miss the sounds of trowels in the dirt. I miss the outdoorsy, hard-working feeling of accomplishment and exhaustion after a long and filthy day. I don't miss being away from my daughters and my husband. I am so glad to be home with my family again! I hated being away from my girls for a second summer in a row, and my younger daughter is especially clingy now. Just now, as I asked her to turn off her nightlight in her room, she told me, "Ok, but stand right there where I can see you." I think she's afraid that if she loses sight of me, I might disappear for another five weeks. It is not easy to justify being away for that long to a 9-year-old and 5-year-old, especially because I told them last year that I was doing field school so that I didn't have to do it this summer. Little did I know then that my school would refuse to accept my UVA credits, and that I would be required to complete this field school if I wanted to graduate. Many people have said to me that it's good for my girls to see me following my dream, and I'm sure it's true, but it still broke my heart to be away. I'm hoping that by next summer I can find a job nearby - probably easier said than done!

I can't wait to return to Maryland, where there are quite a few more opportunities in archaeology, historic preservation, and museum work, and where I have some good friends that may be able to help me make connections. Also, I just can't wait to be back on the East Coast - the land of Wegmans; and Rita's; and mountains and oceans and bays; and really, really cool archaeology. There are so many volunteer opportunities in Maryland, where I got my start, and such a great public archaeology outreach. I'm looking forward to going back and being a part of it all. One of my mentors, when I asked how I could ever repay her, said to me "just do the same for someone else someday." I would very much like to do that!