Best Friends

Sometimes in this life we are blessed with best friends, I found mine when I was 12 years old, I had a crush on her cousin back then and had sent him a secret valentine, I guess a rumor got out that I had said bad things about him and his girlfriend (which I didn't) but ever the protector Julie had me pinned to the lockers saying you don't mess with her family...  Fast forward a couple of years, I had joined the same church as her and needed rides to the Wednesday night activities and the leader would go out of her way by 20 minutes and pick me up and take me and then take me home and Julie was close with this leader and so she'd often tag along, we started to get closer.  

Then terrible news came, my sister was killed I was 15, she was 16 and she made me Mississippi Mud Pie and took me to the movies to distract me from the awfulness of my life even if it was for a few hours.  We have been best friends ever since.  Even when her dad would scream, Julie you are talking long distance too much to Mandy and it's costing me a fortune, we still couldn't be kept apart.  We did ever thing together and even moved in together when we went to the University.  Although, we have had many a rough patch and stretches of time when we didn't talk either because we were mad or just plain busy, I've always known she'd be there for me.  But it always surprises me how much, for example.

When my parents were very sick, my dad had just passed away and my mom was down hill and I had to take her home from the hospital knowing that she was coming home to die and I was 7 months pregnant and never wanted to leave my moms side.  She took vacation from work and stayed and helped, we would go in shifts watching my mom so that she'd never be without someone beside her (which was a fear of hers to die alone) and so that I could rest.  What an awesome friend.  And after she passed away and the chaos got to be too much she took me to a movie and I felt like I was 15 again, escaping it all even for a brief reprieve.  

From that point years ago, I shouldn't have been surprised that she would be there for me when I truly needed her, like this past week.  I won't say what surgery I had, but I will say it was a rather painful recovery and her and her husband came down the day before, her husband watched the kids while she took me to the hospital, she was waiting after the procedure and took me home, her husband ever the sweet heart fixed all types of things I was not even concerned about, things that I thought can just wait until Josh gets home to be taken care of, but it was lovely that he did it.  He left the next day and Julie and her daughter stayed for the next 10 days to take care of me and my children and my house and my pets. She did laundry, cooked meals, make sure I rested and took my pills, watched out I didn't do too much, even getting made if I pushed myself, she made Clay's birthday wonderful which I was so sad that I couldn't be apart of because I was 3 days post surgery, she just stepped in and stepped up.  Ever the protector, Ever my best friend.  

I'm one lucky chic!

my buddy Collin

Recently Collin says to me, "Mom, you used to be a Lady, but now you are my big Mama"  Oh really I say back to him.  and he says "you know you were a lady because you come from the place that Harry Potter was filmed where they talk funny (England)" 

And another one from this morning - He says "Is it my birthday yyyyeeeetttt?", I reply no you have at least a month left, in which he responds "but that's like fffooorrreeevvveerrrr......." I say I know buddy, I know...

Clay's Day

I can hardly believe I am a mom to this big huge guy, he is almost as tall as me, and I'm sure by the end of 2012 he will be taller than me.  He is dramatic and sassy but also loving and insecure and he's such a compassionate little boy, I love him so much.

For his birthday this year, I was sick, like post surgery, popping Percocet 10 like candy sick.  But luckily, Aunt Julie was here to save the day, She took him to McDonolds, and the movies to see Spiderman in 3D, got him nerd AND popcorn AND a drink.  Got him a present before the movie AND a present after the movie!  And to top it all off, made him an ICE CREAM CAKE!  

it was DELICIOUS! all oreo and snickers, dang it was good

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLAYTON

I LOVE YOU

4th of July

Collin looking all cute with his hat we got from NYC

This 4th of July kinda had lost its thunder for me before it had even begun, I was just not looking forward to celebrating when I didn't have my husband by my side, I know he is fighting for why we celebrate the 4th and all, but I just really was craving him, I just wanted him close on that day.  All in all, it turned out to be a fantastic day, thanks to friends and family.   First off, Amber had signed the boys up to march in the YMCA float for a parade over in Columbus (Karl Rd parade), which is not what I usually do, which is go to the Westerville parade, so I went with a bad attitude but ended up having a blast and enjoying the community feeling from the neighborhood and churches in the area serving cotton candy and popsicles (sugar does it for me apparently) afterward Amber and the kids and I jetted over to Westerville parade, getting our usual spot by Favoli's, we have claimed it for about 5 years now with the exception of last year when the parade was re-routed and we had to go to a new location, it was good to be back in my old spot with Amber and Rachael and my cute neice and nephews and then I had them and the Christoff's (minus Sophie who was sick) and the Laugheads over for a grill out and just playing games.  Most of the games were inside since it was so stinking hot (what a year not to open the pool...) anyway later in the evening we squeezed into a spot off at the side of a building and watched the fireworks which I don't usually do (1. because I hate the crowds of Red, White and Boom and 2. Josh usually does fireworks at the house for the kids and I) but it was a lot of fun and I loved the not so big crowds of the Westerville parade vs Columbus.  All in all, it was a good 4th, I just wished Josh was there to see it too.  It's one of my favorite holidays, especially with the pool and all the yummy summer food (watermelon...) and family and parades and fireworks, I mean really what's not to love.. 

Here's the boys the night before at Red, White and Boom with Amber 

 

I'm so glad when daddy comes home...

Josh got to come home for 2 weeks at the beginning of May.  We were so very excited to see him, we made a huge poster and bought him all kinds of presents and waited.  and waited.   and waited... Josh's flights kept having delay after delay, it took him a lot longer to get home than we thought but once he was the wait was well worth it.  At the airport, we all got teary eyed when we were all reunited as a family, it was an emotional experience hard for me to put into written form.

The 2 weeks were filled quickly with family events, and fixing up the rental property and even a quick trip to Put in Bay just the two of us.  It was such a lovely time, I didn't want it to end, but it had to but now we wait again, this time not as long but long enough until September for Josh to come home forever.

 The sign the boys made for Josh, it says Welcome Home Dad!

 Josh starting a run to get to us!

 The Hughes' back together again

The 2 of us in Put in Bay, what a fun fun time