Moments Worth Mentioning

Well here we are, in 2010.  Weird year to write… that’s going to take some getting used to.

Melissa, Kristin, Michele and I all smiles a few moments before midnight.

01-01-10 began with the sound of laughter from my living room.  I had two great girl friends stay with me and we woke up that morning feeling refreshed, happy and thankful.  We celebrated the new year with a few bagels from Einsteins and then they were on their way back in Gainesville.  I have adored those girls for 12 or 13 years…  It’s magical to me to still have them in my life and to spend the second year in a row bringing in the new year with them.

Next stop on this first day of 10′ was to see one of my favorites.  I threw on some jeans and a sweatshirt and make the 15 minute drive to a house that I know very well.  It’s the place where I met and fell in love with so many friends, a place where I have slept on sofas, where I have celebrated birthdays and the place where Austin lives(d).  I walked in and that boy was sitting at the computer… just where I had seen him sit 100 times before.  I immediately had flash backs and Remember When moments because Austin no longer lives at that house.  He now calls Maryland home and eventually home will be Afghanistan for him.  He jumped up, I ran over and I think we hugged for about 6 minutes.  I have seen him a few times since he left, but not in his house…. not in the company of some of the original circle of friends.  It made me miss those early days when I first moved to Atlanta.  I love the fact that I spent the first day of the new year with a guy that had such an amazing impact on the previous year.

Austin, back at "home".

To see Austin back in the house was that much more special because in a few more weeks those guys are moving out.  I feel like its honestly an end of an era…  I know that sounds dramatic, but its true.  So, after we said our goodbyes to Austin I went along for the ride as two of the guys went house hunting.  We spent the next three hours driving around Atlanta in search of a new home for them.  I laughed till my stomach hurt as we contemplated their new address.  We walked through and around a huge spectrum of homes…  Ones that had holes in roofs, others were million dollar estates.  If laughter is the best medicine, I surly will be able to make it through 2010 with amazing health.

As the afternoon winded down, an offer to venture down to see a Hawks game was put on the table.  The three of us that spent the day house hunting as well as four others found ourselves sitting at a great basketball game a few hours later.  You couldn’t help but get swept up in the crowds energy as the teams went back and forth, eventually going into overtime to dual it out.  It was a great way to spend a Friday night.  I love this city!!

The night came to a close with a few rounds of Rock Band (back at my favorite house).  This is also a tradition that always makes me smile.  Nothing quite like seeing adults play a video game…  I love it.

Here’s to 2010.  May it be half as fun as 01-01 was…

I don’t even know where to start.  Its been a four day weekend that has contained numerous “blog worthy” events…

Should I talk about the two seperate Thanksgiving meals I had?  How I enjoyed more calories in these meals then I have consumed over the last month.  How I sat amongst so many from different sides of my family and got to enjoy a holiday that didn’t involve anything other then just coming together.  No gifts, no pompous, no circumstance.  Just us, being thankful for another year spent together.

Should I talk about the evening that I spent with old friends and new friends alike?  About how the circles mixed without difficulty and how the evening left me appreciating my relationship status?  Something that I get impatient with and often want to change.  That night the grass was plenty green right where I was and I loved the ability to cut loose.  This may seem selfish in a way… but I think we all owe it to ourselves to have a night like that every once in a while.  It also makes me appreciate the people in my life that put up with this rare side of me.

Should I talk about how I ran into an old friend in a parking lot and spent the next hour laughing and talking and hugging and catching up?

Should I talk about the GA/GA Tech football game that I went to?  How the lack of plans leading up to the game turned out to work out just fine and made for a hilarious few hours with great friends?  The tailgating, the grill fiasco, the ability to ignore the different colors that we each had on, and I don’t even need to mention the final score…. it all made for an amazing night in the city!

Or should I talk about Andy Stanley’s message that I heard tonight?  It never ceases to amaze me how he can take 2000+ year old bible verses and turn them into modern day truth.  He might as well start off the service by calling me out by name, because he talks directly to me each and every time.  Tonight he managed to take a Christmas message and turn into an extremely powerful reminder about the ability to forgive yourself.  At the conclusion of the message I sat in my chair as the rest of the crowd started to make there way to the exits and just shook my head.  I was both humbled and excited to hear such strong words.  It was a perfect way to end a basically perfect weekend.

So, so much to be thankful for.  So, so grateful for the countless amazing people in my life.  So, so happy to be right here, right now.

As I sit at my desk this morning my mind is swirling with thoughts. One of which is how I can’t wait for 5 o’clock to get here and for the weekend to start… but that’s not what this blog is about. Mostly the thoughts in my head stem from a conversation I had last night. After a great meal and a little dip/push into the pool, a few of us weren’t quite as in a hurry to get home. Instead, we pulled up a few chairs and enjoyed a beautiful evening under the stars. The four of us that remained couldn’t be more different or come from more opposite paths. We are nurses, computer wiz’s and personal shoppers. Our pasts and our current job titles are drastically different yet we have all managed to find each other and find a common ground.

On that dark pool deck the walls came down and the four of us were being honest. Honest about where our hearts are. Honest about our past. Honest about our feelings. At times when the conversation turned to heartbreak and disappointment I had to bite my tongue. Because part of me wanted to get up and scream that what they were calling pain was nothing in comparison to what life has the ability to throw and you. Part of me wants to tell them that they are so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to walk away. Part of me is jealous of their idea of pain, wishing that that was all I knew. Part of me is angry at them for not seeing the underlying blessing. Part of me falls in love with them that much more for allowing me to remember what it is like to navigate the world as an “uber single”.

So, I sit in silence not knowing how to communicate any of that.

Communication (at least verbally) has never been my strongest asset. I have a tendency to walk away from a conversation rehashing it in my brain wishing I had said something different or explained something better. In my mind I have these great ideas, but the words somehow get lost. I have realized that the (lack of) communication was one of my biggest contributions to the demise of “us”. Its been a journey within itself to realize that fault and claim it. (That’s for you Eric.)

What I did walk away with last night (err.. this morning) was knowing that we are all on a journey. We are faced with various obstacles that allow us to grow and learn. We learn what we are capable of. We discover who we are. The challenges we come upon are given to us on purpose. Nothing is by accident. It was very much a reminder that God knows what we need. Last night, my needs were met by a type of communication amongst friends that goes way beyond words.

3-The number of friends that will be joining me for Mardi Gras this weekend.
4-The number of days I will be in New Orleans.
20(ish)-The number of strands of beads I have in my car right now.
2-The number of days that I am taking off from work!!!
8-The amount of hours that it will take us to drive to Louisiana.
12am-The time when we plan to leave Georgia tonight.
2-The number of blocks away from Bourbon Street that we will be staying.
0-The amount of money I am spending to stay there.
1-The number of generous LA Fireman/Friends Brother that allowed us to take over his house.
1-The number of boas that I brought to work today… ya know… just to brag. =)

My weekend in one word: Fantastic.

The fantastic(ness) started last Thursday with my weekly Mexican food dinner and Grey’s Anatomy viewing party. The four of us girls had a marvelous time with our strawberry margaritas and thoroughly enjoyed the much anticipated “Crossover Event” that ABC has really

Friday evening I met up with my BFF Kristy for a (fantastic) dinner at PF Changs. She was than off to see a movie with some girl friends, I was off to… you guessed it… Atlanta.

I had plans to meet up with my normal partners in crime to hear a live band play some good ol’ 80s music. For the next several hours our eardrums where blasted out to “Jesse’s Girl”, “Burning Down the House” and “Love Shack”. Other than not being able to hear for the rest of the weekend, much fun was had! And, there may have been a certain boy in the crowd… that may have asked me to join him for a movie the following afternoon…. (insert giggle here).

Saturday morning my dad and I went on a little bit of a mission. We wanted to see if you would be able to survive on an abandoned island… actually we just wanted to rescue a half sunk canoe that had floated into our cove. For the next hour the two of us walked out to the abandoned canoe, attempted to flip in over and than search the cove for a make-shift shovel to dig it out of the sand. (Please keep in mind that the lake temperature is about 45 degrees…. and… I had flip flops on.) Long story short, the canoe is now tied securely to the dock. My step-moms reaction when the two of us showed up at the house covered in mud… “What do we need a canoe for?”. My thoughts exactly.

But enough about the canoe story… I had a date to get ready for. =)

Our plan was to catch a 3:30 movie. But, as the afternoon approached, we decided the 70 degree weather was way to nice to spend cooped up in a dark theater. What happened next was something that will go down in the record books. My date for the afternoon told me he had a motorcycle… and he asked if I cared to join him for a ride. As I was picking up my jaw off the floor I suppose I nodded my head and willingly
jumped on the back of his bike. This doctors daughter who for the last 26 years has sworn to never even look at a motorcycle spent the next several hours cruising through the tree lined streets of suburban Atlanta. And I am here to tell you… it was fantastic!

After a stop at Starbucks and a fantastic hour of sitting outside chatting we jumped back on the bike and headed home. I’m fairly certain that neither one of us was quite ready to end the “date” so we grabbed some dinner and met some of his friends for a birthday party/game night. And even after all of that we decided to watch a movie before finally calling it a day. I made my way to my favorite red couch at LeAnns apartment for the night and fell asleep with a giant smile on my face.

Sunday I had an appointment with a new friend for a haircut which I must say is phenomenal! She is amazing! And therefore, now is my hair! Ms. Erica even did my makeup to top off the new look. Nothing like a new look to make you feel like a million bucks. When I was done being pampered, I had about three hours to kill before the 6 o’clock church service. So… off I was to a local park to throw a Frisbee with my new friend. (Insert giggle here… again.)

Nothing like 25 of your closet friends and a few board games!!

Last night I found myself surrounded by some very fun folks, and a little wiener dog named Fo’ Shizzle. Mix in some free food and you’ve got yourself a little par-tay!

It got serious….

And there is the poor dog. He didn’t stand a chance.

Taking a little break…

The girls of course were the winners…. naturally.

I sit in my room tonight for the first time this year…. I left last Wednesday (the 31st) and have been out celebrating and reconnecting with old friends up though this afternoon (the 3rd). Its been an amazing few days! I really can’t help but feel so blessed to have such wonderful people willing and waiting to reconnect after being gone for so long!

First stop… Saying hello to 2009 (in quite the style I might add). My partner in crime for the evening was a best friend from high school. We found ourselves down in the ATL for a new years eve bash like no other. Complete with a live band and a cash balloon drop…We danced till we could dance no more! Such a fun night!!! This is me thanking Kristin for allowing me to share her friends for the evening.

I woke up New Years day and hit the road. I was on a mission to see a very long lost wonderful friend. Two hours later I arrived in south Georgia. I’m fairly certain that our hug at the door was way too far overdue! Donna and I graduated from college together. We share an athletic training degree and a friendship that honestly can’t be described with words. The last few years have left us in different states and with different marital statuses, but somehow being with her is timeless and transcends all of the differences in where we happen to be right now. For us to be building so many new memories on top of the old is a recipe for a very good time.

We spent three days lounging in our pajamas, eating rice crispy treats, playing a few mean games of Wii bowling and of course lovin’ on her precious little girl. I sat in awe of how easily my college friend has taken on the duty of motherhood. What a joy it was to spend time with her, her sweet hubby (not pictured-He didnt seem to enjoy the picture fest as much as the girls did.) and of course baby Madison!!

Things happen for a reason, and this weekend had the most perfect timing. If I ever needed to have my sails filled back up with air, this was it…

I caught an extremely early flight Saturday morning, and was in Atlanta before the sun came up. First stop (as always) was Chick-Fil-A for some breakfast. Second stop, Dahlonega. My mom, step dad and myself made the hour and a half drive up to the North Georgia mountains. I will admit that I was a little disappointed that the Georgia trees were several weeks behind in changing color compared to my Michigan trees. But just the same, the drive into the mountains was beautiful.

Gold Rush lived up to its normal history of being jammed packed with visitors, vendors and good ol’ southern food. After walking around for a while, we made our way back towards the college. For those of you who aren’t familiar with my college, you will not understand. But for those of you who are, you understand the pride and excitement I got as I crested the hill and walked into the heart of the campus. We grabbed a bench, discussed the various landmarks of the campus, and just took it all in. I have so many great memories… flag football tournaments, carnivals, movies, watching drill practice, making long walks to class AROUND the field since walking across it was unacceptable, and of course the day when I ran down the hill into a few hundred girls dressed in pink. We even got to see the ROTC boys march as they made their way to the Gold Rush parade. It felt (and sounded) like I had never left.

I met a fellow alumnus, AKA Kristy, and took the rest of the afternoon wandering around the square. She was then my generous driver and took me to my Dad’s house in Gainesville where I had to get ready for the real reason for my trip. Julies Wedding.

I have briefly explained in prior posts that Julie is one of eight girls that were my BFF’s in high school. In the eight years since we have left West Hall High School, we have scattered ourselves and have all grown up to start our own lives. Several are now married with children of their own. Others are up to their elbows in various careers. We are now very different, very unlike the teenagers that we were when we were all so close. I honestly wondered if the chemistry would still be there… I should have known better than to have any doubts.

I walked up to where the ceremony was going to take place… and was immediately surrounded by long lost friends. Not only where “the” girls there, but also their families, and lots of other people that I haven’t seen since we all graduated. Lots of hugs, and Where in the world have you beens keep me smiling for the entire evening. Being so far from home, I find that I am introducing myself constantly to new people, and am always aware of the first impression that I am giving. I was overcome with how wonderful it was to be able to walk into a room where everyone already knew who you were. No introductions needed. Just lots of open arms.

The wedding itself was beautiful. We were outside under a beautiful tree. The bride was beautiful, and watching her parents and her sisters beam was heart warming. I love that family.

The reception was just as beautiful. Simple, sweet, and southern. I sat amongst friends and caught up, gossiped, laughed and ultimately reconnected right where things left off. None of us were ready for the reunion to end, so we continued the party at a local hot spot (including the bride and groom). The evening eventually turned into morning. Finally we said goodbye-promising to not let so much time to go before we saw each other again.

On Sunday, my dad and I took a short boat ride , marveled at the lack of water, and just talked about life. What an amazing cheer leader he has become. He was supportive of my ideas and thoughts, understanding of my frustrations, and reassuring in ways that I didn’t even know that I needed. My sails were officially filled.

I am back in Michigan now, after catching another early flight. I am exhausted. But, I can honestly say that this weekend was one of the most needed and best that I have had…ever.

In my week of returning back to society, much as happened. First of all, I am happy to report that I was officially deemed “healthy” by my doctor yesterday. Which, by all standards, is a good thing. I am now contacting heart surgeons in preparation for my hospital bill…

This past week has made me take a long look at things that are easily taken for granted…

Like, your health. It can be taken from you in an instant! Although my little incident was purely a fluke… it shows me that I’m not as invincible as I had thought.

Like, that BP will always have an endless supply of gas. We jump into our cars without necessarily worrying about our next fill-up. We assume that when our gas light comes on there will be a station at the next corner.

Like, your job. The bad economy has now directly effected my family. Taking a 20% cut in pay hurts. It is easy to assume that the paychecks will always continue. But that’s just not the case…

Take a moment…hug your family, take a jog around your neighborhood, wash your car, and send your boss some flowers.

Its been the type of weekend that I wish I could bottle up to save for another day. The weather has been beautiful and HOT. I couldn’t help but smile as I spent the entire day Saturday under the sun. I don’t know if its because I have spent the last 6 months covered in snow, but I have been so appreciative of the warm days!

The golf course was especially fun this weekend. I was the “personal” beer girl for a bachelor party group. They had almost 40 golfers, and they knew how to party! I couldn’t believe I was actually getting paid to hang out with them. Needless to say, my boss was completely blown away when I came in with over $700 in sales.

As that group was winding down, another bachelor party group was getting started. This was only a group of 6, but they were just as (if not more) fun. After a little small talk, I made the discovery that 4 out of the 6 guys were physical therapists. We had an awkward moment of PT vs ATC stereotyping, but that quickly subsided. I had just made 6 new friends! After a few more holes, we all exchanged phone numbers and made plans for me to join them that evening.

They had a limo reserved to take them down to Rochester, Shelby Township, and Royal Oak. They had plans to hit all the hot spots! And thats exactly what they did. A fun evening was had by all! I ended up back at my car around 1:30am. I made it home about 30 minutes later, and was back at the golf course by 11am on Sunday. What a whirl wind of a weekend!

Now I am off to do some laundry and some preliminary packing… 6 days till Cancun! Wohoo!