Refreshed

And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.  For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.   -Kahlil Gibran

We spent last week at Pacific Beach.  A full week with giggling kids and visiting grown-ups.  We were very fortunate in that our only measurable rain was during sleeping hours and the clouds frequently parted revealing the blue sky that so rarely shows itself to the Washington Coast.  The house we rented was filled with thoughtful amenities, like a giant bucket full of rain boots of all sizes.  It was a week filled with sand, sunshine, friends and wine.  I returned home refreshed and very ready to send the kids back to school! 

7 Years Later

Seven years is a long time.  I can't help thinking about all the things you would be doing, all the things you would have done by now.  I can't help wondering what you would think of my little family; a family which has emerged in your absence.  I know the things these silly girls do that would make you laugh.  I can recall all the times in these last seven years, that I would have called on you for help, or for fun, or for nothing.  And somehow, even now, seven years later, I still can't believe you are gone.  

Birthday-palooza

A much belated birthday post for my big girl.  I'm just going to let the photos speak for themselves...

Growing up

I met up with my best friend from nursing school at a conference on friday.  We hadn't seen each other in 6 years, but instantly we were chatting like no time had passed.  All day I tried to focus on the speaker and not think about my dog; my family.  Oddly enough, at the end of the conference, during our "what else has been going on in the last six years", my friend said; "Oh, and both of our dogs died."  She had had two beautiful, loving, lap-dog Rottweilers.  I dog sat them a couple times and adored them.  Each of them were as big as I was, but somehow they had no clue of that and would try to cuddle like a teacup poodle.  She told me about them; I told her about Jessie.  And then she said this, "Yeah, that's really hard.  You know, that's like the real grown up stuff.  Yeah, you have kids and all that, but once you have to make that decision, as a family, and you lose a member of the family... It's just... grown up."  And that's why I love her.  She wasn't over the top with empathy.  She didn't make me cry.  She didn't want the whole sad story.  But she understood.  And she was right.  It's hard to be the grown up.

In the spirit of good friends and not growing up: