Spring Break has finally arrived.


And not a moment too soon.


Im completely looking forward to having a more chilled out week...doing things I want to rather than what I NEED to. Of course we all know as a mother one never really completely gets to have a day or a life without NEEDING to do something. Its the lot of a mother really.


We started off with a bang right away. Friday night we said goodbye to our dear friend Chuck as he heads for his new church in Boone, NC. It was a bitter sweet night. Amy and the girls will stay until May or until their house sells. It was a sweet night strolling down memory lane and talking about all the experiences that we share togther. God has blessed us with their friendships through out the past 5 years. Some hightlights:

• The first time we had them over for dinner and Kaitlin at 7pm announced that she was going to bed and then yelled at Anna to get out of her room. She was probably about 5 I believe


• Eric sitting with Chuck after his cancer surgery and Chuck throwing up


• Chuck sitting with me before I had surgery when Eric was dealing with other stuff
  
• Four Easters, Four Christmases and Four Fourth of Julys.


• Being able to see the birth of their Ellie


• Spending time at the Polynesian together
• The Grand Poo Bah egg on Easter and a scavenger hunt on Christmas


• Amy kicking my butt twice a week at Lake Lily in the summer. I hated her but she actually got me into shape aerobically
  
• Eric and Chuck meeting on Wednesday mornings at the butt crack of dawn for Bible Study

Perhaps the thing we will miss the most is the fact that Chuck constantly pointed us to the gospel. And the fact that he is so real and honest about his own struggle and that of Amy as well. The fact that life isnt neat and orderly. Its organic and messy and we hurt one another and there is grace and forgiveness and yet pain too. I will miss so much his Sunday School class because you knew at the very least you would leave there knowing the Truth about the love of Christ.

I know that this is just a change in location. Not a change of the heart. Still, I will miss them much. I will miss that familarity that comes over time with friends.

Then Saturday morning some of our other friends were passing through Orlando and they offered to pick up the girl and have her spend the night with them and their daughter. HOW FUN. I know the girl is just having a great time. I miss her though. I cant wait to see her today when we go pick her up.

Saturday night we were blessed to attend the wedding of one of my former students. Natalie was my student WAYyyyyyyyyyyyy back in 1993. She was in my third 6th grade class and her class was SOOO SOOO special. Arent they all though?

Natalie was special because she was one of those girls who just did everything the right way. Oh I loved that child!! Her parents often asked me to babysit for overnighters and then included Eric too when we started dating and then got married. We babysat for them for about 5 years, which was such a riot. Nat's brother John was 4 years younger and just one of those fun lively boys. I remember taking the two of them to the beach, going on bike rides, swimming, taking them to the mall, you name it, we did it. I was joking with Natalie that years ago she confessed to me her first kiss to a boy. This disclosure was done while tucking her in one night and giggling about life in general.

The wedding was at First Baptist of Winter Park and it was lovely. SOOO totally Natalie. She wore a gorgeous classic beaded gown and as all brides, she was radiant. Of her six bridesmaids, four of them were girls from her Orangewood graduating class. How sweet they looked in their hot pink dresses. I suddenly was feeling old at 40.

The reception was DIVINE at Maision Jardin, complete with wine, heavy hor de vours, music and a huge sit down reception. Again, completely Natalie. What was so fun for us was that we saw many people from our past. I loved it. You know how people come in and out of your life, just weaving in and out as time goes by. Its so fun to get caught up and enjoy hearing other's life stories.

When we got home E was saying how lucky we are to live in a community. One that has history. We realize that we have put down roots here.

Its home.

And its good.