I am not nearly as good as I ought to or want to be at keeping my friendships in good repair. Fortunately, I am blessed with understanding and forgiving friends, some of whom also find that too often the business of life leaves us with too little time and energy for even the important things like friendship.
I was blessed this weekend to be able to spend a little time with dear friends. The Larsons were in town for AJ and Stephanie's Sacramento reception. At one point, AJ mentioned that we had not seen each other since before his mission. Yet these are the kind of friends where time and distance fall away as soon as you meet again. I am especially blessed with this family, because not only is the mom my very dear friend, but also the dad and the two older kids. The younger guys are ok, too, but more tolerate me because I am their mom's friend than are actual friends themselves. The others are my friends both collectively and individually.
It was altogether an lovely weekend. Friday, we had Miriam's birthday dinner. Grilled chicken, some rice, and lots of fresh fruit, and Cinnamon Tortilla Chips Ben made. (When I got home that evening, I realized we had forgotten to bring over part of our contribution to the dinner - the corn was still on the stove! But with all the good fruit, we didn't miss it.)
Saturday, I gave talk a baptism. After giving Tom such a hard time about him asking me to give it (largely because if the short notice, but I think he had rather short notice, too) I, naturally, enjoyed the experience. It is good to go to baptisms and refresh those special feelings and remember what it is all about.
Then I walked across the hall "to see if the wedding people needed help getting ready", but really just to spend time with Melanie. Andrew and Ben were such good sports. They tagged along and helped even though there wasn't really anything in it for them. Ben and Sean and Stephen used to be pretty good friends when they were "little" (a term one uses advisedly regarding Sean and Stephen! I remember being surpised when the the pediatrician told me that Ben was tall for his age, because he always seemed so small next to his friends!) But the guys are grown apart. S&S are into sports and girls, whereas Ben is not. And of course, they write back and forth even less than my friends and I do!
We worked on strawberries and visited. Sent out for IN and Out Burgers and enjoyed lunch together before going separate ways until time for the reception where I got to visit with other seldom seen, but dear, friends.
Sunday after church where we were reminded of the importance of families in Sacrament Meeting and learned about service in Sunday School, we rested a little before getting together at Ruth's. I got to visit on the phone with Sariah, Acadia, David and Teresa. ; ) At Ruth's we enjoyed hamburger, tater tots and milkshakes! Miriam gave me a bunch of roses and a decorated can full of Ferror Rocher - which has become almost a traditional gift between Debi, Miriam and I.
(The pictures were taken with our cell phones as we still don't have a working camera in the family. One I took at work and the other I had one of the guys send me. I don't know why the difference in quality.)
Monday Debi had flowers delivered to me at work! Next to the flowers you can see the little photo book (I don't remember what they call them) that Ruth made me filled with pictures of Esther and Jared.
I am so truly blessed in my children and my friends!
The difference in quality in the pictures may be different settings on the camera, but it's probably because there wasn't enough light.
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