Forever Friends

This weekend marks the 10th year that my wonderful friends from the north will make the 4 hour trip to our house for a visit. I worked with these three beautiful lades for over 10 years and they were there  through my meeting B online and our initial dating, our break up, our dating again, engagement and then our wedding.  They were there for me when I had cancer and through my surgery and recovery.   Next to my family - spending time with these ladies are one of the things I miss most from my life before marriage.

We stay in touch via email and meet up at least once a year in the fall.  We try to throw a spring trip in every once in a while too.  When we are together it sounds like the hens are loose and on the move.  B visits for about 30 minutes, then retreats to his man cave, with his headset on.  We all talk at once and follow each others conversations and somehow it doesn't confuse us or seem strange.

The visit always includes a little shopping, apple pie and apple buying, and a lot of talking and catching up.  I've been readying the house for their visit, bathrooms are clean, supper is planned for tomorrow night, apple pie fixings are ready to be assembled.

They are taking the day off tomorrow to make their journey down and will text me along their way so I can feel like a part of their trip.  I can't wait to see them...but I know these 2 days are going to go by in the blink of an eye.

Everyone said we would grow apart, that we wouldn't keep this up.  But we knew different, we made a promise and we are all married to men that support this time together for us.  They know how much it feeds our soul.

Forever friends are hard to find, but somehow I have been blessed with quite a few, and I am so thankful!

The Table & Chairs

One of the last pieces of furniture from our pre-marriage days that we still had in our house was our table and chairs.  They were B's and I never cared for them - but they served the purpose.  Big old clunky chairs that tipped over if you sat too close to the edge.  The only thing I liked about the set, was that there was a bench and we could fit extra people around the table.

Over the years, we have discussed getting rid of the table and chairs and buying a new set,  and then an opportunity presented itself.  A friend's son was buying his first house and looking for furniture.  So I told her about our clunky table and chairs, texted her a couple of pics and lo and behold her son wanted them!  What????  And he wanted them immediately. 

This all came about the weekend before our vacation to Disney.  So on a Sunday, our table and chairs went out the door and we had a big empty room.   When we got back from vacation we still had a big empty room so we decided to paint it!  

Luckily we had found a new set the same weekend we sold the old one, and had been patiently waiting for them to call to set up delivery.  Well, my patience ran out this week and I called them twice yesterday to see when they were going to be filling our empty room.  They were very unhelpful and I was not impressed.    Today B went down to the store to see what was up and supposedly our set will be delivered this Friday.  I'll believe it when I see it. 

Meanwhile, we will continue to eat in the living room on our card table and folding chairs.

Oh No...the Big 5 - 0

Well, this is it...my final few days in my 40's.  Where has this last decade gone?  All I can say, is if my 50's are as jam-packed full of life as my 40's, it's going to be a wild ride!

In my 40's I got married, foster parented 3 beautiful children, had 2 different jobs, vacationed in Jamaica, lost my mom, and saw my oldest baby girl niece graduate from high school.

This past weekend we visited with my family for 48 hours.  Oh, how I love each and every one of them.  We had 16 sitting around a table yesterday, enjoying the wonderful meal my sister and sister-in-law put together.  We laughed til we cried, reminisced about the good old days and dreamed of what's to come.  Everyone wore black in honor of my decade change and I loved it!  B tried to get pics of me with everyone there - I told them I was documenting my birthday, but it was really just a chance to hug up on them for a second or two.  Plus a couple of my nieces and nephews told me that I didn't look like I was going to be 50!  They are now my favorites, ha ha!!

I love that my Dad wrote the following in my card -  "I know you are not 50, just 5 perfect 10's".   I've decided that 50 is nothing more than a number - it's not going to define me or the things I'm going to accomplish in the days, months and years a head!

Or at least that's how I feel about it today...not sure how I'll feel after the day has come and gone!

Let's Play Catch Up

You know it's time to catch up on your blog when your husband mentions it!  I had no idea he was even still reading it, I'm thankful that he does - he might be the only one!

Last we chatted, we were doing the Disney countdown.  Well, Disney has come and gone and we had a most wonderful, fabulous, magical time.  It seemed to take forever for the trip to happen, then it was over in the blink of an eye, and now, 2 weeks later, it seems like forever since we were on vacation!  As a matter of fact, I texted a photo of us to B today and reminded him that I wanted to be on vacation again with him soon!

So my thoughts on our Disney trip....we stayed at a great hotel, Wilderness Lodge.  The rooms, lobby, decorations, pool area, etc were fabulous.  We spent a day at each Disney theme park, rode segways, saw the Cirque d'Soleil, shopped, swam, ate, and enjoyed each others company.  It was nine days of "just the 2 of us" and it was wonderful.   Our flights down and back were hectic - delays, lost luggage.  But we got there and so what if our luggage spend an extra day in Baltimore on the way home!

We were both back to work within 6 hours of being home and we haven't stopped since.  Between working, painting and cleaning, laundry and all the other normal chores of life, we haven't been bored!

We are heading to visit my family this coming weekend - it's been 2 months since our last visit.  To say I'm anxious to see everyone is an understatement.  It will only be for 2 short days, but I'll take it!

Hopefully I can get back into the groove again and back to this blog!

Disney Count Down

B and I are getting ready for a little vacation to see the mouse!  We have been counting this down for months - when it was a triple digits countdown!   We even put a count down app on our phones, and have had so much fun reminding each other of how many days are left.

It was wonderful when we got to double digits, then last week we hit the single numbers and now we are down to 7 days...7 DAYS!!!  I love Disney World and all it has to offer and B loves me and all I have to offer - so this trip suits us both, ha ha!

We are staying on property, have trips planned into the parks, have a segway adventure planned (heaven help me, I'm sure there will be stories to tell about this one), and just can't wait to relax.

I've been planning all summer for this trip, buying a few new things, and not wearing them all summer just so I can have them for Disney.  I'm strange, and I know it.  B packed his suitcase last night.  I'm holding out for another day or two.  Oh alright, you know I've already put a few things in!

This is such a big adventure for us and I just hope it lives up to how excited we are for it!

Wednesday Wore Me Out

I stayed home a couple of days this week with my silly summer cold and today was my first day back at the grind.  Within 10 minutes of being in my office, I was tired, clammy, and ready to go take a nap.  But I'm a farmer's daughter, so I hung in there for my 8 hours and then headed home to crash.  My butt has been planted on the couch since I got here. Oh wait, I did sort laundry - so I have been somewhat productive! My sweet B is getting supper for us at Subway and then he's heading off to burn more calories at basketball (he's already biked today).  I'm going to continue to keep the couch warm and watch my waist expand. 

Here's hoping I find some energy for Thursday!

Summer colds

I have a cold.  It's summer.  It is probably the worst cold I have had in any season for several years.  How does that happen?  I'm blaming air conditioners.  I have one blowing on my back at work.  We have one in our bedroom and we spent the weekend camping with friends a week ago and the one in their camper was blowing on my face.  I think those 3 air conditioners conspired against me and have made me miserable. 

Summer colds stink, it was 80 outside yesterday and I was curled up on the couch with a blanket over me.  I've coughed til my ribs hurt and despite being at the beach on Saturday - I'm so pale it looks like I haven't been outside for months.

So, I'm home today.  Resting under my blanket, taking some meds and trying to make this cold go away and never come back!