Blessings...

So, once again, I sit at the computer, and it's late. I'm a night owl, so that is not really that uncommon for me, though. I have SO much stuff that I really NEED to be doing, but I just couldn't resist sitting down and journaling the last three nights I've had and their impact on me.

So for starters, my sweet in-laws offered to keep my children overnight on Monday night, my sister-in-law offered to keep my children overnight on Tuesday night, and then, on Wednesday night, all three of my babies were going overnight in three different directions! Now, I haven't written much over the last couple of weeks, but let me just say that I've had a VERY emotional past several days, so I really needed a few nights away from my beloved babies. The only other time I've had three nights in a row away from my babies was in February when Chris and I went on our "preview" trip to the Netherlands. Having had at least one child with me every single second since Chris has been gone, including sleeping with me, I can't tell you how much I needed a few nights just by myself. Now, of course, once I found out that I was going to be childless, I decided that I would work during the day, and then I'd line up my long overdue Girls' Nights Outs with some of my gals! Here is the how the last three days have played out...

Monday...I had planned to hook up with my bestie Melissa on Monday evening, so I knew I was going to have to work Monday during the day to get as much stuff done as possible. I did accomplish a lot, but I still had a bunch of "running around" to do, so poor Melissa ended up going along with me on all of my stops that night. We went to Kohl's, Lifeway (where we ended up buying the book "Radical Together" that we intend to use as a Bible study over Skype...can't wait!), Barnes and Noble, World Market, Kirkland's, and of course our personal favorite...Target. Then, we headed back to Melissa's so I could drop her off, and we sat in her driveway talking until almost 1:00 in the morning! It was SO good to catch up! Goodness, it really has been a LONG time since I've been out talking that late! ☺

Tuesday...so, Tuesday was mostly the same way. I worked and worked all day on the upstairs of my my house trying to separate (again!) the kids' stuff, so I could get ready for the movers when they showed up on Monday morning. (I need to be able to just tell them, "Just pack this side of the room." Or, "Pack this whole closet.") Anyway, two of my closest friends from high school were scheduled to come by at 6:30 that evening. Our plan was to gather some of our favorite recipes and swap them out. Now, we'd been planning this for several months, and it didn't look like it was going to happen, but thanks to my unexpected babysitters, our night became reality. So, my sweet friend April donned her pajamas and went to a Chinese restaurant and picked us all up some fantastic Chinese dinner. So, my sweet friends, Kelly, April and I, sat around for hours in our pajamas copying recipes, listening to Kelly's eclectic mix of songs on her iPod, and just reminiscing and laughing. There is something about old childhood friendships, and I'm so thankful that we got to have that night!. Can I just say how much I love these two?! They are definitely going to have to come visit me when we all turn forty! Can't wait!☺

Wednesday...so this morning, I got up and straightened up a bit. I had to leave at 10:15ish to meet my sister-in-law Becky in Joelton at 11:15 to pick up my crew. They had a FANTASTIC time, and they were also looking forward to going in different directions that night! So, I got them, ran home and changed out clothes in their suitcases. We were supposed to be at our cub scout den's "End of the Year" swimming party at 12:30, but I had given Ashlynn and Avery the option of going to the party or going to the house where they were going to stay. Both of them wanted to be dropped off at their destinations. So, I dropped off Ashlynn at Melissa's, and I dropped off Avery at my sister's. Then, Aaron and I jetted out to the swim party. Okay, let me just say that I had NO idea that the "party" was for us. There was a sweet cake with "We Love the Kennedy Family" written on it, and we were serenaded with "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow." Then, I was presented with three precious scrapbooks for each of my babies. I couldn't even look at them today, and I totally wasn't prepared for anything like that. We are planning to join the Cub Scouts of America at our new school overseas, but I can say with all certainty that there will never be another group of boys and Mama's that will ever be able to live up to this one. They are truly irreplaceable, and I love them. THEN...I left there to go change clothes and head out to meet another group of gals. This group is my Bible study gals. We planned to eat at Newk's (LOVE that place!), and again, I wasn't prepared for what they gave, either. They gave me the movie "The Proposal," because during our Gatlinburg trips, that is our choice movie, and I love it! They also gave me two journals...one that is BEAUTIFUL! It is leather, and it has my name embossed on it! I can't wait to write down all of our adventures in it! The other one has my favorite verse (Jer. 29:11) on the front of it -AND- I *almost* bought it on Monday night when I was with Melissa at Barnes and Noble. It immediately caught my eye, but for whatever reason, I put it back. The girls had warned me not to look inside this one while we were out, because they had each written in it. So, tonight after I Skyped Chris, I leaned back in the chair for just a minute, and my eyes fell to this journal. I picked it up and read the entries. How. Blessed. I. Am. Tears streamed down my face as I read the precious words written on the pages that were meant especially (and only!) for me! After I finished reading the entries, I just sat and thought about the unique situation that I'm in. How many people get to really see what their true friends think of them? I've just been OVERWHELMED by ALL of my precious friends and seeing how much they care about me and my precious family.

I am very excited about going, but all of these "Good-byes" are almost too much for me to bear. I'm sure I'll make friends in Holland, but they will NEVER replace my sweet friends here at home. "Blessed" is the only word I can think to describe how I feel right now.