Weekend in Kansas City. . .

On February 20, Emma and I drove to KC to see 3 of my high school friends. Christi lives in Washington, D.C. and decided to fly to KC so we could hang out one last time before I leave the country for 3 years! Nikki and Jess live in the KC area, so we all made plans to connect. Friday night we spent hours and hours catching up and reminiscing about our junior high and high school years. I haven't stayed up that late since college!! My sister-in-law Kristin took Emma for Saturday afternoon and night and the four of us girls went to a Pomeroy concert in the Power and Light District of KC. Christi's brother, Dave, is the lead singer and quite the entertainer! It was a fun night, but also a good realization for me: Although I really enjoyed the concert, I don't miss going out, I don't miss the night life, I don't miss being under the influence of alcohol, I don't miss being insecure and full of confusion, which is how I spent most of high school and early college, and I don't mind being called "Duell" occasionally.....Also, I love being married to Kevin and am forever grateful for the direction God took me, I love spending my evenings alone with him and Emma, I love being Emma's mommy and protector and defender, I love our little family and I love being confident in my role as wife and mother, sister and friend. I spent a lot of time last weekend thinking of what might have been had I kept making the choices I was making ten years ago. I still remember Christmas break of my freshman year of college: I made a deal with God that I would follow him if he would just help me find myself and find some friends. The first day I went back to school I ran into Erika Farwell and Jenni Sapp and they invited me to Christian Challenge. I went that night, and just about every Thursday night after that for the next four years of college. It wasn't Challenge that changed my life, but what I learned there. I learned that I am loved and forgiven. I am important to God and He loves me for who I am. Something about learning Truth (namely Jesus), changed me, changed my choices, my desires, my attitudes. So I kept my promise to God, and I'm really trying to follow him and what he wants for my life. Not really sure how my blogging came to this point, and I feel a bit like I'm rambling, but that's where my mind went, so thanks for going there with me.
Totally another subject, but worth mentioning. . . I stayed both nights with Nikki's parents in Lees Summit, MO. Nikki's dad, Rob, videotaped pretty much every volleyball and basketball game we played in during junior high and high school. Our senior year of volleyball, we played Weskan, the #1 ranked 1A team in the state and undefeated for 68 games. We played them at the Max Jones Fieldhouse in Goodland and WE BEAT THEM!! I know, it was over 10 years ago, but it was such an incredible night and felt like such an accomplishment! Well, Rob had it on DVD so we sat around the TV on Saturday afternoon watching our glory days! Oh, it felt so good!! He even made us a copy to take home so I can relive that moment whenever I want! Thanks Rob and Carla for hosting us and letting us be kids again!
Sunday morning Christi and I went for a long walk. She and Mike were recently engaged and are planning a wedding for next spring AND they bought a house! We had tons to talk about and even though it's been forever since we've spent time together, it felt so normal and comfortable. It made me miss being a kid, but also happy to see where life has taken me! The four of us went to eat for Sunday lunch and said our goodbyes, not really knowing when we'd all see each other again, but thankful for those hours we were able to spend together! Thank you friends!