your blog touched my heart. my neighbor has a son in prison. he went in when he was 18. she tells me about visiting him and it is always the same - excitement about seeing him and then the tearful drove home.

i often wondered if there was anyone that felt exactly the same as i do about visits. now i see they do. you have hit on the true aspects of prison visitation. i am truely touched by your post.

There are hundreds, thousands that feel the same way...It nice to know that there are alot of us out here that go through this on a regular basis...Beautiful writing Jolene!!!!! Sure wish I could go every week...when I leave, we both know it will be at least another month before we see each other again.......its a rough good bye, every time...actually, we never say those words, good bye......

WOW!!! Does that ever sum it up.  I cried when I read this.  I do the exact same thing.  Except we don't say good-bye.  We say "Til next time".  I can only visit once every 2 weeks being that he is 2 1/2 hours away and I work and with the way gas prices are.  Yes we are BOTH doing time.

That is exactly how I feel..  I used to think it was just me, but now I know I am not alone.  Sometimes I feel like my heart is going to burst right thru my shirt while I am waiting for him to walk thru the door.   And for the first 2 hours of my 4 hour drive home i try to remember every single thing we said and every single look and smile.  How you can be so happy and sad in the same day is always mind boggling to me.  Being with them and having to leave them all over again.  Each time feels like your heart is breaking all over again.  Thanks for sharing.

My 20 yr old son just went in MCFP Springfield, MO on 05/28/08.  He is my only son.  I have been crying for 11 months anticipating his sentence.  I visit this site when I am alone and sad.  I have not been able to visit or have a phone call yet.  It is the first week of his time in.  I can't even think about my first look at him when I get to see him.    It is 3 hour drive from Kansas City to Springfield.  I am grieving.  I have been praying the prayer of tears for many moons.  thank you all for your words.  we are to comfort one another with the comfort we have been given.  Your words bring me comfort knowing I am not alone in this gray haze.  julie

i to feel the happiness and pain of having to let him go each time..and we never say good-bye either..it's always "i love you baby " we kiss and hug and i watch him leave the room..and it does slowly kill me each time...and i to had the problem of not being able to see him but evry so often,but i did find a way..it a bit teadeous but does help..i found a couple of girls that live in route to the prison that i have been car pooling with..it does help in so many ways..we comfort each other in the time of need..being around others that are going thru the same thing i am..you don't know how to comfort some one until you have been what they have been thru..and my car pool biddies have been more than just friends they are now becoming closer than that..but i found this out by just asking where they are from..and offering the invitation..when we are waiting in to be patted down or in the vending area getting his food and drinks..just friendly conversation and asking..it amazing how many you can have say yes..and it helps them also..we are a family in some sorts if you know what i mean.!..i drive 5 hours one way every weekend to see my angel..and pick my friends along the way to see their men at the same time....

hi when ever i go visit my man i feel so bad because i can leave and he can't and sometimes it seems the time go by so fast.It's a sadness that we both feel when the final hour approaches because he goes back to his cell and i go back home.......

Wow just be thankful u get to see him each week !!  My man is incarcerated 8 hour from me .. I have been trying to go once a month but it was becoming to costly.  Count the littlest blessing cuz it could always be worse !!