Tuesday the 22nd, I had a whole bunch of my former students over; Cassie, Ashley, Jena, Kensey, Katie, Laura, Dan, Kristen and Steph all came for fondue and fun. We chatted, played “Imaginiff” and later, “Nertz”, which they loved. It was such a pleasure to reacquaint myself with this part of my life. I am so glad to still have relationships with each of them. I couldn’t imagine my life without having known them.
Just like I can’t imagine my life without this next person. Wednesday was another day of old friends finding each other. Melody, My best friend from high school in Bowling Green, and one of my very dearest friends ever, who lives in Tennessee, was visiting her parents in Michigan. I talk to her frequently, but we haven’t seen one another for almost 2 years. I couldn’t resist. I dropped my kids off at my parents and Toledo and headed to Lansing for an early Christmas gift for me. (When she told her mom I had said that, her mother replied, “You should bring her something else”). She brought her sweet baby, and also a bag of bath time goodies just for me. Oh, and she is also a baking queen, and brought some goodies for me to take home and share with my family. We ate lunch at PF Chang’s, a first for me. But I loved it. And we talked and talked. I always love how it’s like we’ve never been apart and I am grateful our friendship had grown and changed even as our lives have moved onward and upward.
After lunch, we went and browsed around a bookstore in the same shopping center. As we waited in line to ask a question, we couldn’t help but notice the fellow in front of us. He was wearing jeans and a collared shirt…and a long black coat, a stovepipe hat, and a well trimmed beard. He was speaking to the clerk using phraseology that sounded as if he had stepped out of Jane Austen novel; very formal (contraction-less) and super polite. He momentarily turned to baby Mack, who was in her seat on the ground and began talking to her in the same manner. Mel and I smile politely and move slightly closer to the car seat.
On the way home, I passed an interesting sign on the freeway, which I convey now only because I find it to be very good advice: DO NOT PICK UP HITCHHIKERS. PRISON AREA.I got back to my parents in time for supper. My baby brother, Garrett, and his wife had flown in the Saturday before for the holidays (Amanda’s family lives in the same town as my parents), and so they joined us after dinner for some caroling fun with another family who are friends of my parents, the Lenahans. My kids went along first out of force, but by the second house, they were more enthusiastic then anyone. I hadn’t been caroling in a decade and half I believe, and I really enjoyed it. We went to some families I knew, and others I didn’t, and then stopped by the bishop’s house on the way back home. The kids had a wonderful time. Mandy, Garrett, Mom and Dad and I watched a movie, and then the next day I headed back home to get ready for Christmas Eve.
Just like I can’t imagine my life without this next person. Wednesday was another day of old friends finding each other. Melody, My best friend from high school in Bowling Green, and one of my very dearest friends ever, who lives in Tennessee, was visiting her parents in Michigan. I talk to her frequently, but we haven’t seen one another for almost 2 years. I couldn’t resist. I dropped my kids off at my parents and Toledo and headed to Lansing for an early Christmas gift for me. (When she told her mom I had said that, her mother replied, “You should bring her something else”). She brought her sweet baby, and also a bag of bath time goodies just for me. Oh, and she is also a baking queen, and brought some goodies for me to take home and share with my family. We ate lunch at PF Chang’s, a first for me. But I loved it. And we talked and talked. I always love how it’s like we’ve never been apart and I am grateful our friendship had grown and changed even as our lives have moved onward and upward.
After lunch, we went and browsed around a bookstore in the same shopping center. As we waited in line to ask a question, we couldn’t help but notice the fellow in front of us. He was wearing jeans and a collared shirt…and a long black coat, a stovepipe hat, and a well trimmed beard. He was speaking to the clerk using phraseology that sounded as if he had stepped out of Jane Austen novel; very formal (contraction-less) and super polite. He momentarily turned to baby Mack, who was in her seat on the ground and began talking to her in the same manner. Mel and I smile politely and move slightly closer to the car seat.
On the way home, I passed an interesting sign on the freeway, which I convey now only because I find it to be very good advice: DO NOT PICK UP HITCHHIKERS. PRISON AREA.I got back to my parents in time for supper. My baby brother, Garrett, and his wife had flown in the Saturday before for the holidays (Amanda’s family lives in the same town as my parents), and so they joined us after dinner for some caroling fun with another family who are friends of my parents, the Lenahans. My kids went along first out of force, but by the second house, they were more enthusiastic then anyone. I hadn’t been caroling in a decade and half I believe, and I really enjoyed it. We went to some families I knew, and others I didn’t, and then stopped by the bishop’s house on the way back home. The kids had a wonderful time. Mandy, Garrett, Mom and Dad and I watched a movie, and then the next day I headed back home to get ready for Christmas Eve.
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