Nearly a year ago Peg and I had a very hard week. Wednesday night: Mike slept downstairs in his room where children belong, and we slept upstairs in ours where moms and dads belong. Thursday night: we were 350 miles away and he was in Ramada 325 and we were in 323—connecting rooms and we left the door open and talked and laughed together. Friday night: 700 miles from home and he was in 247 and we were in 239, but it was just down the balcony and somehow we seemed together. Saturday night: he was in the freshman dorm, and we were back in 239. Monday night: we were home and he was 700 miles away in Chapman 309.

Now we had been through this bef…