A Hero in Our Home: Keisha's Visit

Babs and Keisha outside COSI. Sunday, February 5, 2012

We were so thrilled and I was so honored to welcome Keisha Paez into our home about a month ago.  Keisha flew out to attend the 2nd Annual Heroes Reception as my honored guest.  I was amazed and moved that Keisha would spend the time and money to come all the way out here from Oregon just to attend my students' event.

Of course she did more than just go to the reception.  I feel like I barely saw her for the first part of the weekend, from her arrival Friday up until the Saturday night reception, as I was so consumed with getting ready for the gala event.

But Sunday we had a nice time together.  We went downtown to our favorite Thai place in Columbus, Basil and then stopped over at Jeni's for some splendid ice cream.  Then we finished out the afternoon with a nice visit to COSI, where we spent a good bit of time in the fascinating new exhibit on race.  Sunday night we watched the Super Bowl at home.



Keisha talking to my students.  Monday, February 6, 2012

On Monday, Keisha came by the school in the afternoon and made a brief presentation to my students about her experiences with the Marine Corps.  As soon as school was over I ran her over to the airport and just like that her all-too-short visit came to an end.  As I hugged her goodbye and watched her walk purposefully into the airport, I felt a wistful pang.  All of us Babs,Elijah, and me really had thoruoghly enjoyed having her with us for the weekend, and it felt too soon to be saying goodbye.

We'll see her again this summer when we fly to join her and the whole Paez tribe for her commissioning as an officer in the United States Marine Corps.