Visitors

Last week, we were lucky enough to enjoy a visit from two of my most favorite people in the world and their families, Claudine and Andrea. Years ago, we made a pact to try to go to each others' houses at least once a year every year. Through babies and moves this is not an easy feat, but we are still doing pretty darn good.

You can imagine the general din that comes with 9 kids running around, 6 of them boys.
That fact matters in this story. 6 boys 7 and under=LOUD CHAOS. But so worth it.
And we always get so little sleep.
We stay up way too late, and with 9 kids, someone is always up by 6 a.m.
Not enough sleep.
But so worth it.

A mean game of kickball

Just ignore my turtle neck and this is a good picture.

And she was the DD for the night

Somehow we always end up on the dance floor

and despite the fact that this was a blues band,

we were still out there, and managed to have a good time (reminder-this one was drinking water)

So Andrea decided instead of just sitting around to talk, we should weed while we talk--and we weeded the entire garden. Is this unbelievable or what? It has never looked like this before

and THEN she asked for a shovel to square it off and edge the whole damn thing. Unbelievable.

As Andrea put it in her email letting us know she'd made it back, (and I don't think she'll mind if I share)

"I definitely fueled my soul and heart this weekend and got a little weepy on the way home. I think I go into a mini depression when I leave you guys. I always feel like I leave a bit of myself behind. Thank you for being such important people in my lives. I love you both."

Well said Miller, well said. If I were as eloquent in my actual words spoken as in my thoughts, I would have said the same thing.

I'm quite sure I am one of the luckiest girls around. I have wonderful girlfriends who truly do fuel my heart and spirit, and I don't know what I'd do without any of them.

If I said I had a crush on my priest, they'd say, "Hmm, God must be sending you a message through him."
If I said I'd kissed my cousin once, they'd say, "Hmm, I'm sure he must be very attractive."
If I said I liked one of my kids better than the other, they'd say "It happens to all of us sometimes."

None of these things have been said. They are examples. The point is, none of these things would be socially acceptable for most people to hear. 99% of people you would say this to would laugh politely and uncomfortably and then make a mental note that you are a little strange and you overshare and they'd keep you at arms length.

Knowing you have people you could say these things to, and they wouldn't judge you or love you less, is an unbelievable thing.