This Time of Year

First things first. My brother and his lovely wife have a blog. Yay! I'm sure they'll hate me for pointing it out, but I'm so excited to see their day to day living in Australia. And the sailor picture of him is just too awesome to ignore. Hee! Love you D!

Next I thought I'd tell a little story today. I love learning random tidbits about my friends, so I'm hoping the same holds true for me! I keep thinking of something, all sorts of memories lately. So, let's take a little trip with one of them.

My best friend in college was a guy (who, from here on out, will be refered to as BF). I really, really didn't like him when I first met him. He was arrogant and conceited and just an overall jerk. Or so I thought. It turns out that he was arrogant and conceited, but far from a jerk. He was also funny and good looking and the best person to be around. Of course, my 'hatred' turned to like, but as stubborn as I am, wouldn't admit it. So my friends forced us to sit together during a concert and the rest is history. We were pretty inseparable after that night. His girlfriends would call me his future wife. I got along with nearly all of them and they always came to me when they needed help with him. When he had a date, I would go over and help him get ready and then as soon as he dropped them off, he'd come hang out with me the rest of the night. When I had a date, he'd come over and give me advice. We told each other everything. We did everything together. It was a little crazy.

Considering how much time we spent together over the next two years, it's not hard to imagine that we both loved each other deeply. Somewhere along the line I fell in love with him. It turned out to be a growing point in our friendship instead of the death of it. We continued to be the best of friends, albeit a little different. Me, loving him fully and him, unsure of himself and marriage in general. We had deep conversations about our faith and our lives and what we wanted out of them. In 1994, we said our goodbyes as we were moving to different cities. I told him I would wait as long as he needed to figure things out. He told me not to. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I felt like a piece of me was being left behind.

There were conversations and visits, but things inevitably changed. A few months later I was engaged and then married. Nine months after that BF moved to the town I was living in. There was much rejoicing. He had figured a few things out and our friendship resumed. He was there during the happy times and was a shoulder when my marriage started failing. Unfortunately, he disappeared from my life without explanation around the time of my divorce. I saw BF again a couple of times after that. Each time was a little more strained and a little more awkward. I've heard rumors as to why, but have never known for sure the reasons.

It's been years since I've seen him last; probably about 10. I have always been sad that we lost touch and I wonder what he would think of Isaac. I think they would get along well; they have similar senses of humor. I wonder where he is and what his life is like now. Why he left me without a word. Even though it's been a lifetime since we were inseparable, he's never far from my memories and I still miss my friend.

Good Times

Isaac has rearranged his schedule to include a day off. We're not a good workaholic family, so a fun day off in the middle of the week is nice. It will be Tuesdays to start with, but sometime this summer it will most likely alternate Tuesdays / Wednesdays. It started yesterday.

We had a late start to the day, courtesy of sleeping in and lounging in bed. It was glorious. A long, lingering breakfast while watching Where In The World is Matt Lauer on the Today Show (which does nothing but make me want to travel!) and then we started getting ready for the day.

A quick trip to the bank and the grocery store (16 boxes of cereal for storage for $7...I love Pinching Your Pennies!) and then we had a great lunch at The Bluebird Cafe. It's one of our favorite restaurants - complete with fountain cherry Coke - we're just glad we can afford it now; last time we lived here it was a "save up for months" treat!

After lunch, we ran by a furniture store and bought a leather sofa, 2 matching leather chairs and a sofa table (the total was under $1000 - gotta love outlets!) for our living room. I promise, Diane, there WILL be pictures and a house tour as soon as they are delivered.

A quick nap for Sammy and then we were back out running a few random errands (including a trip down memory lane, a witness to several emergency vehicles and a road closed for whatever was happening and a particularly frustrating stop at the post office). Unfortunately, by that time, the beautiful spring day had blown in a random wind and rain storm (it was short lived) and we decided it was time to get home. We capped off the night watching Juno (it was good, not great, but sweet) via a free rental at a Redbox.

To me, it was the perfect day. I love hanging out with Sammy and Isaac and having nothing specific that needs done. I was also reminded how much I love this town in the spring / summer. It's just beautiful and smells fresh (well, as long as you stay away from the cows!) and we just...fit. It was a very needed good day.

A Long, Long Weekend

Isaac is somewhere over the mid United States right now. He's been in Nashville all weekend and was supposed to return tonight, very late. However he was able to get a standby ticket this morning instead and will be home in a couple of hours. We are all very, very happy about that. After a decade of being together, neither of us like to be apart. It's pathetic, really. A weekend isn't that long at all! I shudder thinking of the six months apart while he was in grad school...

The saddest part of the entire weekend is hearing my poor little boy walk around the house saying, "Daddy?" and talking in his phone, jabbering away and ending the 'conversation' with daddy with big kisses. There has been a lot of missing going on around here the past few days and what a fun surprise for Sammy when he wakes up from his nap - to finally have daddy home!