We woke up to a quiet house that Thursday. Mark and Kim had left for work so we had the house to ourselves. Kevin had decided to work a few days in Ottumwa, so I dropped him off at Deere and then made my way to my friend Kristen's house, where we were going to have a play date with some other moms and their kiddos. It was way too normal to park my car in her driveway and walk up the gray steps to her gray porch that led to their front door. I'd climbed those three steps a thousand times over the last four years. I'd peeked in their big picture window as many times because it's just before the front door. It was different this time, though. I had such anticipation and excitement inside me; I almost skipped across the porch. Then I remembered I had Emma with me and probably shouldn't leave her behind! Kristen opened the door and I was just ecstatic to see her! Her son was there and he looked years older! Have I really missed out on that much?? The house smelled so good, so familiar and I just stared at my friend. A real, live person!!! Not a Facebook picture! It was awesome! Over the next half hour, three other friends came with their kids and soon it was a full house. We drank coffee, chatted like it was a normal playdate, and then I had to leave for my eye appointment. Emma stayed and played with the other kids while I was gone. OK, Emma stayed and didn't play with the other kids, but wanted to hide in a corner with her little stash of toys, or sit on the lap of one of my friends while having a book read to her. My appointment lasted forever and by the time I got back, everyone had to leave! Bummer. I was so looking forward to spending time with those girls! Funny, though, I've kind of gotten to know two of them through our blogging and love for photography. I've been inspired and challenged by what they write and the pictures they post, so it's kind of odd and fun that I feel like I know them better than I did before I left.
Kristen and Julie, two incredibly awesome girls who I am proud to call my friends. I think I laugh and smile more when I'm around these two than any other people in my life.
Q and L, Kristen's kids and Emma's buddies. Emma's personality reminds me a lot of L when she was Emma's age. They played together quite a bit that evening and Emma talked about her for several days afterward.
It was worth a picture. . . I got to eat a few spoonfuls of raw chocolate chip cookie dough from Papa Murphy's. Another habit that will probably never die.
Thursday night we had pizza at Julie's with our families. When I left, Julie had just found out she was pregnant. When I came back, she had a son who was 6 weeks old! It was a reality check to see her holding her little baby and know that I really have missed out on some big things!
Thursday night we had pizza at Julie's with our families. When I left, Julie had just found out she was pregnant. When I came back, she had a son who was 6 weeks old! It was a reality check to see her holding her little baby and know that I really have missed out on some big things!
Papa Murphy's Pepperoni/Mushroom pizza was absolutely awesome!! The smell, the taste, the aftertaste. . . all were just as I had remembered! I'm only disappointed I was able to have it one night instead of three or four! It was kind of cute that our kids are old enough to have their own "kid table" and we got to sit at the adult table! M, the conductor of the crowd, is Julie's.
The husbands: Kevin, Ryan (Kristen's), and Zach (Julie's)
The night was full of laughter, kids playing, Emma learning to share (or me teaching and her not quite understanding), pizza and of course, raw cookie dough.
The best part of the evening was internal. I realized that it was sweetly normal to be with my friends. It was different for sure, but a good different. The kind of different that felt like, "It'll all be OK." Those girls are great and though we won't live near each other any time in the near future, the place they hold in my heart will be close.
