Welcoming 2014 with open arms

I can't think of a more fantastic way to welcome 2014 than to have my longtime bestie, Amy and her adorable 2 year old son come visit for 10 days. Yes, 10 days! First of all I will say that I am very grateful she planned her trip for 10 days since the day she arrived one of my kids started puking. Every two days or so another one of us fell victim. It is easy to look back and see the humor in it all. As soon as it appeared everyone was healthy we would schlep her clothes, stroller, and stuff back to my house from her parents. Then within a day another victim would fall and we would have to send her back to her parents. I cried the first night she left. I felt like I had waited for years for this visit and saw it slipping through my hands. My mom and Amy quickly assured me that with such a long visit we can afford to lose a few days.
Once everyone was healthy we were set to go. There are some things in life that I have learned truly bring out your true colors. I lead a very busy life full of cleaning, cooking, working, and socializing. Oh yeh and parenting. All mothers of young children lead lives that are masked by to do lists, pick ups, drop offs...we manage conflicts, learn quickly to drop everything an engage in a friendly conversation at a grocery store. It is easy to lose sight of who you really are outside of these roles we put ourselves in. I have found that I am truly myself when I am camping, traveling, backpacking, and around the family I grew up in. I try to be myself around the family I have created, and I am sure I succeed at that but the factors of stress and kid drama blanket the true me more often than I care to admit.
However, the one thing I took away from my 6-7 days with Amy, one of my closest friends on the Earth...the one thing I felt every second of every day from the moment I saw and embraced her and her son to the moment I sent them away to the moment I welcome them back (and 2 more times just the same) was that even though 10 years had passed since we parted ways, our friendship hadn't lost a beat. I felt more myself with Amy and Cedar living with me than I have in years. It took me by surprise and I only could take it as a huge compliment to our friendship, to our current status as individuals, to the men we picked for ourselves, and to the beautiful and wonderful children we brought into our world.
To be able to have adventures as well as common moments of monitoring playing, prepping meals, changing diapers, navigating nap times...to be able to connect like we did in our college years. sip tea and chat about everything from old boyfriends, to old trips, from memories made 10 years ago to ones made 5 years ago to hilarious moments from just the day before,  from parenting struggles and strategies...that is a true gift.

I have come to realize that life is about creating memories. It is about seizing the day with your loved ones. It is about planning trips and watching them unfold. I truly hope Amy's trip out here to stay with me is an annual one. However, now it is my turn to live with her. As I have a job and three young kids I could only squeak out 5 days. Well, 5 nights, 6 days. My first trip with my daughter to meet Amy's new baby, River, who was born just yesterday. Our hearts are full of joy and gratitude  to have this opportunity.

I really love seeing this amazing woman in the seat next to me. Reminds me of our old days following phish or looking for our backpacking spot:

                                          Gorgeous weather allowed us to spend a lot of our day outside

Tide pool exploring.....kind of 

Such a beautiful momma and her ever so sweet boy

These boys did great together. Thanks mom for the matching bunnies. So cute!

We sent the bigs kids to school on Friday and enjoyed a wonderful few hours at Discovery Museum with just our two year olds!

And Kate was eager to spend every moment she could doting over Cedar

Thank you Amy for taking time out of your life to join mine. I am counting down the hours until we get to live communally again, even if just for 5 days. Love you and your boys!