Friendship

My dear friend came to visit for a few days.  It had been nearly two years since we last saw her (army, babies, cost of travel... these things make it hard!), so I was beyond thrilled that she was willing to just hang out with a very pregnant me for a few days.  

As she helped me pack my hospital bag (I get to actually *decide* what things I'm bringing to the hospital!), played with Anni as I passed out in pregnancy-induced exhaustion and made us delicious Venezualan arepas (oh. my.), I mentally thumbed through all of the milestones we had seen each other through.

We met second semester freshman year when she transferred to the college I was attending.  Okay, we actually met first semester when she visited, but we met *again* second semester and became friends (see us below... the baby faces in the front row after a dinner of pasta and lots of laughing with friends in our dorm kitchen). 

A couple of short years later, we were at different schools and she had her sweet, sweet baby girl.  I was utterly blessed to be at the hospital only moments after the birth and get to see the very first time she held her daughter and then snuggle her just a little myself.  For so many reasons, those moments are written on my heart.  I was able to see beautiful strength that day in my friend, and she has only continued to amaze me with that strength in the years since.

A few short months later, I was able to watch her graduate from basic training.  Let's be honest, there were few people I'd drive 10 hours in less than 24 hours for... I was so glad to be there, and so proud of her determination.

She then surprised me by coming to my college graduation less than six months after that (apparently we were lacking in the photo department on pictures together that day) and, four months after that, standing by my side as one of my beautiful bridesmaids as I made my vows to Daniel.



The next summer, she made the trip out to Colorado to hold my sweet little Nugget and take me out for pedicures and ice cream before she shipped out for her tour in the middle east.  I don't know that she will ever know how wonderful that pampering and time with a friend felt after the time in the hospital, oxygen tubes and brand new parental fear... especially when I should have been pampering her as she headed out for a year long tour. 

I'm so grateful that somehow our friendship has survived an insane amount of life changes over the past seven years. 

This time, she made the trip out again and made my little girl giggle like crazy.

 

 There was good food (seriously, she has added a whole new food to our worlds... soooooo good),

early morning sneaking around as Anni whispered, "shhhh... Tara's sleeping," all while yelling half of her words.  Hopefully the waffles made up for the lack of sleep.

Anni was pretty sure she didn't want Tara to leave, and is still proclaiming that she did not get on an airplane and go back to her home. 

I have a few drawings already waiting to be mailed out, and requests for us to see Tara again.

We allllmost didn't even manage a picture together, as I forgot my camera as we rushed out the door to Mass before we dropped her off at the airport.  Thanks to her handy dandy iPhone, there's proof that we saw each other... and no one will doubt that Lil' Bit was there, too!

Friendships are good... in fact, I recommend them.

Fulfillment

As we head into a new weekend, I figured I should take the time out of recovering from last weekend and do a little sharing on it :).  Our little family returned to the land of our college days on the pretense of a wedding and five other photo shoots... all in just 3 days.  Whew.  It was busy, exhausting and fulfilling.  Not only was it professionally fulfilling (I am so proud of some of the images I shot, I really felt like I'm taking some new knowledge to the next level), but on a personal, social level I totally got my love tank filled.  We were blessed to have a friend offer her basement at the last minute so that we didn't have to stay at a hotel.  It was a double blessing of extra time with a former college roomie (and her beautiful family!) as well as a little place to call our own for a few days.  Anni's nap schedule was eternally grateful.  

My formerly stranger-terrified little girl was thrilled with the opportunity to crawl to the dance floor and all over the other little ones rolling around on the floor.  Did I mention my family was invited to the wedding, too?  I LOVE when they are at weddings I'm working. 

 In addition, the wedding was the wedding of a college friend, so a lot of my college friends (and one of my own bridesmaids!) were there... meaning, as soon as I was on vacation Sunday evening, we did a little celebrating!

Flyer's on the river will always bring me back to college days.  We had that place filled and loud!  We were able to celebrate Jessie's birthday and eat some favorite Atchison food.   I can't even tell you how much I've missed some of my college friends, so this was a good time for everyone (plus, I can't resist all the loving Nugget got, girl has got to know by now how adorable and loved she is).
 

And then we moseyed on over to two more of my former roomies' new apartment.  It. is. beautiful.  Seriously, I want to live there.  They are going to decorate it up all cute... I can't wait to see! 

 

And Anni is a huge fan of the big spaces to crawl around in... Lellen kept an eye on her tricky ways.

And don't worry, there was more.  About an hour or two after her bedtime, we took advantage of our one hotel night to let Anni try swimming out.  As she and I walked in, I thought she wouldn't like it, because it was cold.  Lo and behold, this girl is a natural!  She didn't stop grinning, splashing or giggling the entire time.  I'm so glad my friend, Alicia, was there to take a few pictures so I could be in the water with her. 

And, since we were planning on driving out on Monday, you'd think the story ends there... but you'd be wrong.  The next morning we met up with Jess to grab some breakfast and... of course every single place we tried was closed (right, Memorial Day, they should be, but we still didn't plan for it!)  And the little greasy oasis in the desert?  McDonald's!  My friend Amanda is actually a swing manager there, so we managed to torture her a little as more friends randomly showed up.  It was an awesome way to end our trip... and we didn't end up leaving until after noon.

Oh, and Miss Antonia was introduced to the french fry.  She was, erm, a little obsessed.  Good thing we don't eat out very much.  Jess had finished hers and turned them so Anni could get them.  She slowly pulled them out, one by one, and laid them in her own little pile.  Hilarious, a little sneaky, and adorable.

Yep, good weekend.  Fulfilling.