Lucky, Lucky Me

Three wonderful women came to visit me this weekend. They have their own kids in MI who had soccer and football games and such this weekend. They drove 9 hours on Friday, stayed all day Saturday, and are driving 9 hours home today. That's barely more staying than driving. Saturday morning they came to my kids soccer games (and helped me with the transportation issues since Jeff was teaching a seminar). We spent a perfect afternoon in idyllic Skaneatales, poking in and out of adorable shops, admiring lovely houses, walking out on the pier overlooking the lake, and lunching at a great restaurant. They played with Annie in the evening (we had a "pajama party" with her as Jeff and Molly spent the evening at the SU football games as guests in the chancellor's box!) After Annie went to sleep, we played a couple of fun games, broke open a bottle of Fingerlakes' wine, ate brownie sundaes, and talked and laughed and talked and laughed. They said my deranged dog is cute and would take him home, which was very nice of them. (They did not actually take him home - maybe next time.) They admired my house, which was gracious of them. They exclaimed what a great place this is to live and how they will come again and really the drive isn't that bad. They brought me chocolate and coffee and a strawberry plant for my garden. They made me feel so loved, very much still a part of their lives, and good about the things in my life here.

Needless to say I have spent the whole day fighting tears. Not because I regret the decision Jeff and I made to come here. Life changes and goes on, and Syracuse is just another place. Some tears were for missing those girls being a part of my everyday life. Some were out of amazement that I was given just exactly what I have been needing - hope, appreciation, and assurance. Some were because I wonder how I managed to get to be part of such a cozy group of friends.

Some were because I know they are stopping at the Cheesecake Factory;) At least I have leftover brownie sundae fixings.