It has been a disappointing couple of days.
So to cheer myself up, this is going to be about a day that was definitely NOT disappointing.
First, a little background:
(Yes, this could be involved. You may want to use the restroom and freshen up your drink.)
I have this amazing friend, Julie. I met her seventeen years ago. I was actually friends with her aunt and uncle first. That's an interesting story, too. For another time.
So seventeen years ago, I was just out of college. Brian and I had been married a little over a year and we had a baby.
It's a long story, but we wound up staying with Julie's parents for several weeks while we waited for an apartment to be ready. She was a nursing student at the time and needed to do a case study on a young family for a class.
Enter us. A young family.
Poor Julie! I'm sure she just wanted to ask us a few questions and be on her merry way.
But no. I met her and I decided I wanted her for my friend. So when she asked if she could come over and interview us for her paper, I said "SURE!! And then why don't you and John (her then boyfriend, now husband) stay for dinner and cards or something!"
Again, poor girl! Here's this sweet college kid who just got roped into eating dinner and spending her evening with these married people. And I really didn't know how to cook!
Anyway...the project required several interviews. Which I subversively turned into dinner and card dates. :o)
And I guess eventually we grew on them, because a little over a year later, when she called to tell me she was engaged, she asked me to be a bridesmaid.
She's been this amazing friend. There isn't enough blog space to document all of the amazing that both she and John have been to me and my family, but one of the ways that she is so amazing is the love she lavishes on my children.
Seventeen years of it.
One of the coolest things she does is make a special date with each of my kids for their birthdays. They go out to dinner just with her and do something fun together. As the years have gone by, John has joined in when they take the boys and they go as a foursome. I don't remember when this tradition started, exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was long enough ago that carseats and possibly diaper bags were involved.
Ever since she started this, I have been anxiously awaiting the day that I would get to reciprocate. Take her child on a special date for his/her birthday.
And I had to wait a Really. Long. Time.
Finally, this year, my wait was over. Julie's beautiful daughter celebrated her first birthday a few weeks ago.
So we went out for her birthday. Julie and me and all of our girls.
And because I've been waiting a Really. Long. Time. And because I'm moving to California (Stupid California), we chose something that was probably more for the "biggs" than for the "lovely little." Although, she seemed to have a good time.
A trip to "Build-a-Bear"!
So to cheer myself up, this is going to be about a day that was definitely NOT disappointing.
First, a little background:
(Yes, this could be involved. You may want to use the restroom and freshen up your drink.)
I have this amazing friend, Julie. I met her seventeen years ago. I was actually friends with her aunt and uncle first. That's an interesting story, too. For another time.
So seventeen years ago, I was just out of college. Brian and I had been married a little over a year and we had a baby.
It's a long story, but we wound up staying with Julie's parents for several weeks while we waited for an apartment to be ready. She was a nursing student at the time and needed to do a case study on a young family for a class.
Enter us. A young family.
Poor Julie! I'm sure she just wanted to ask us a few questions and be on her merry way.
But no. I met her and I decided I wanted her for my friend. So when she asked if she could come over and interview us for her paper, I said "SURE!! And then why don't you and John (her then boyfriend, now husband) stay for dinner and cards or something!"
Again, poor girl! Here's this sweet college kid who just got roped into eating dinner and spending her evening with these married people. And I really didn't know how to cook!
Anyway...the project required several interviews. Which I subversively turned into dinner and card dates. :o)
And I guess eventually we grew on them, because a little over a year later, when she called to tell me she was engaged, she asked me to be a bridesmaid.
She's been this amazing friend. There isn't enough blog space to document all of the amazing that both she and John have been to me and my family, but one of the ways that she is so amazing is the love she lavishes on my children.
Seventeen years of it.
One of the coolest things she does is make a special date with each of my kids for their birthdays. They go out to dinner just with her and do something fun together. As the years have gone by, John has joined in when they take the boys and they go as a foursome. I don't remember when this tradition started, exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was long enough ago that carseats and possibly diaper bags were involved.
Ever since she started this, I have been anxiously awaiting the day that I would get to reciprocate. Take her child on a special date for his/her birthday.
And I had to wait a Really. Long. Time.
Finally, this year, my wait was over. Julie's beautiful daughter celebrated her first birthday a few weeks ago.
So we went out for her birthday. Julie and me and all of our girls.
And because I've been waiting a Really. Long. Time. And because I'm moving to California (Stupid California), we chose something that was probably more for the "biggs" than for the "lovely little." Although, she seemed to have a good time.
A trip to "Build-a-Bear"!
Waiting to eat lunch. One has to fortify before all of our fun!
Coloring like a big girl!
WOW!! THIS is a malt??? I can't believe you've been keeping this from me all this time!
I'll bet it tastes just as good from my fingers as it does from the straw. You were done with this, right, Mom?
At our destination!! Which one should we choose?
I think this one!
I guess we all need one!
Oooh! Pretty!!
Ready to "Build" my Bunny!
Giving her heart a kiss!
Wow! That turned out bigger than I expected! :o)
Birthday celebrations wear us out!!
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