As my husband slumbers in his lair, preparing for another night at work, and as my little boy sleeps in his crib, preparing for- well- who knows what? I think to myself: I should sleep. But as always, I feel that I can enjoy my “down time” more if I am awake. Hence the posting.
This past week has been a good one. Aside from the bug that went around our house, and seems to still be hitting at least my Dad, I’ve started to feel a lot better. I think we may be on the way to having this IBD thing under control. FINALLY. The Bubbs has been sleeping a lot this week, eating pretty well, and is blossoming into a little person right before my eyes. This is exhausting and exciting all at the same time, and the weather has allowed us to venture out more, whether just to get groceries, go for walks, or even to storytimes and such. I’m hoping to get more of that in during the coming weeks- and John is encouraging me to find a Mommy/Baby swim class as well. Although I am NOT EXCITED to get into a bathing suit, at least the weight is coming off/going away, and I have a beautiful baby to explain my new disfigure (this is what I call my used-to-be figure).
Last Tuesday my friend Christine came to visit. I met her freshman year of college in PA, we lived together the next year, and I love her so much. She, along with my other “Scranton” friends Emily and Jess (and of course, Lindsey, although you are not a Scranton girl!) have been some of the few “constants” in my life: showing up for weddings and new things happening, and although we don’t get to talk as much as we would like, it doesn’t seem to matter once we get back together. She stayed til Thursday, and having her here to meet Bubbs was amazing. We did a little bit of everything, we watched some Alias, which we were obsessed with our junior year. We looked through old pictures and newspapers, and talked about how different we were back then. How our lives were mostly just about us. We lived in our own little bubble and made all our choices based on our own preferences, whims, and new ideas, and just were. We talked about how we’ve changed, about how we’ve stayed the same. She works in campus ministry for a school (few would know that this is very close to my dream job, actually. I would love to run interfaith retreats for a living), and is also a student. We talked a lot about what we’ve both been up to and what we’re planning, and I’m so excited that she’s looking at such a good year full of…well…I’ll let her tell you that if you know her and she cares to share.
As for our activities, she came with me to a doctor’s appointment (held the Bubbs), we cooked some good food, cuddled my baby, and of course, talked about religion. I just felt, filled…by her visit. Like I always do. I had a secret “wishlist” for while she was here, and I’m happy to say, we DID go on a walk, we stayed up late talking (she actually shacked up with me, seeing as how my husband sleeps during the day in another room and all…one night I stayed up late and talked, the next night I fell asleep before she was done washing her face),and MOST importantly, she sang to my son. It was a good, good visit. Except that I forgot to get some coffee for her. I ALWAYS forget that, one day I’ll remember! (Thank goodness for Dunkin Donuts!)
Backing up a bit, when I left for England the September of what WOULD have been my senior year of college, I knew that I was risking some of the best friendships I had ever had by leaving. I did it because I felt like I needed to, wanted to, and was supposed to (all part of serving an LDS mission), but that didn’t meant I wasn’t scared that my relationships were too fragile to survive a year and a half with no phonecalls or visits, or even just missing out on our last year in college together. But I was so blessed with friends that loved me enough to work at our friendships- and even though we differ in our belief systems and life choices- care enough to keep coming back again and again and again. We’re all returning to Scranton this Spring for a visit, and I can’t WAIT to be together again. Show the girls my beautiful baby boy, find out about their plans for finishing more school, buying houses, getting married (all on the calendar for the coming year) and just be NEAR them. Not everyone gets to find people who both accept them for who they are and challenge them to become more all at the same time- and I am lucky not only to have been raised by parents who are like that, found a spouse who is like that, but also have amazing friends who are like that.
I am a lucky girl. Blessed and lucky.
