Our friends hosted a going away party at Llewelyn's Pub last week. I wasn't sure I would enjoy it knowing it was a "last." But it was a ton of fun. It went way too fast and I didn't get to talk to everyone near as much as I wanted, but it was a great way to at least look people in the face and hug their necks.
These three girls pictured below were women I worked with while I was pregnant with Tyler. We all had our babies within weeks of each other. We have stayed close all these years later and I would be a different mom without them. We got to have one last "girls night in" where we share our lives and stay up way later than we want to. They gave me this picture framed (this is a picture of a picture so it is blurry). Most of you know I did not have pretty pregnancies. I let the girls know they are good enough friends they really should have let me know I had no business wearing a halter top.
I have been blessed with wonderful girlfriends. We have had dinners with friends and our last two house groups. Many celebrations with the Watkins (this is another long post that will come soon). I had other girls nights, coffees and dinners that I will always remember.
This Saturday, the Jani5 had a "St. Louis Day." The kids decided what they wanted to do for our last outing in St. Louis. We ended up at the Science Center, lunch at Llewelyn's in the Central West End (Brian and mine's very first favorite restaurant), and then the Chesterfield mall for the
bungee trampoline and carousel. We came home and had a boys night and girls night. Annabelle and I went downstairs to the Watkins for a night of crafts, nail painting, dressing-up, and dancing.
The boys had friends come and spend the night. There was wrestling, farting, burping, mooning, yelling, chasing, and video games. It was shocking to me how much it felt like a group of junior high boys. It was redeemed at night when they snuggled in their sleeping bags and listened to a story (most of them still with snuggables to sleep with) and wanted to be tucked in. In the picture below they are trying to wrestle me down from getting across the living room. Four of them tried and I still made it. Hah! That's what you get for calling your mom weak!
On Sunday night, before the movers came to pack up the house, we had a casual dinner with our friends that have lived all parts of our life with us for the last 7-10 years. It was wonderful! I was tempted to cancel because I was feeling like I needed to get more organized before they movers packed things and I would never know where to find something when we got to our new house. I was especially concerned about all the toys in the playroom. I was quickly swayed when Brian reminded me how much this meant to us. Here is a picture of how the play room looked at the end of the night:
It was totally worth it!!
We all prayed together (kids and all). The adults were even able to crowd in and sit at one table together to share a meal (thank you X-box Kinnect). I will never regret that I spent more time with people than filing away that box of papers or finding that Barbie shoe. I will try to remind myself of that when that box of papers is still in my office a year from now.
As I am reflecting now I realize this is celebrating life as its given.
Thank you Lord that you graciously allowed me to embrace this painful season. I have been tempted many times to withdraw and leave without experiencing the pain of good-byes. I have been tempted to prioritize control over relationship. You have allowed me to be able to leave with a full heart.
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