Family, Friends and a Trip to Fort Fun

After the Cedar Point trip on Saturday, we spent Sunday with some of my mom's extended family, who drove up to see us and my brother and his girlfriend (they were home on fall break). Then Monday was spent in Toledo, where I had the blessing of meeting my college roommate Lindsay for coffee. We hadn't seen each other in over a year, so it was great to catch up. Our husbands joined us for dinner at Bravo--unfortunately I forgot to get a picture :(

Tuesday night I had some girl time with my best friend Julie. It is soooo refreshing to be with people who just know you...who don't need twenty minutes of back story...who understand you and can finish your sentences. I long for that here in Tennessee...but meanwhile I can't forget that God has already given it to me time and again--wonderful friends, gifts I can't take for granted.

On Wednesday it was off to the city Janet affectionately refers to as "Fort Fun"! I visited my grandmother, who has Parkinson's and lives in a nursing home (so sad...always hard to see her like that). Then met Janet for lunch. If you had told me when we were freshmen in college that we'd end up becoming good friends I would have been very surprised--not that I ever disliked Janet at all, but just that we're very different! My first impression of her was this beautiful, talented, confident girl who I assumed was certainly an upperclassman--I was shocked to find out she was a freshman like me. After a few years of chorale, communication classes together, chamber singers, etc...I am blessed to count her as a friend. Crazy and funny and just a beautiful heart. And if you were at my wedding you know how amazing her voice is. Hadn't seen her since then--so we had fun catching up. And Janet has a blog now--go check it out!


After that it was off to see one of my favorite cousins, Rebekah, and her son Matthew. The last few times I've seen her have been a rushed few minutes to say hi, so it was nice to spend a little longer with her. Matthew is growing like crazy and is completely adorable!



Then I capped off the afternoon with a raspberry mocha and a nice long chat with Jaala. How much do I love this girl! I had the privilege of mentoring her in college...she is a dear friend. I loved sharing deeply and honestly with her (and looking at her Israel trip pictures, too). On the way home I got to listen to a CD of Jaala's composition recital--30 minutes of various types of original music, both vocal and instrumental. Stellar! What talented friends I have. I loved listening to all the beautiful songs this beautiful girl wrote.