Catching Up, Part One

So, yeah, long time no see! I haven't forgotten about you. As a matter of fact, I've felt a little bit of guilt just about every day that I haven't written a new post. The months have worn on me! Finally, this morning I got around to unloading the pictures from the last three months off our camera. That was enough to inspire me to blog at least about the big events from the last quarter. Or maybe the last third? How did so much time possibly pass? Well, it was a busy summer, and then I started teaching two classes- and one of them is a new one. The kids are bright and active, which means they don't let me sit in front of a computer. And Jon has been trying to devote some time each day to his new Qi Gong practice. Anyway, no more excuses. Let's back up.

At the end of July, we traveled to Virginia to visit with Jon's family. The agenda: a few days at their home in VA, followed by a few days at the beach in North Carolina. As the trip got closer, I realized that several friends from different eras of my life might live close enough to want to come visit. I sent out an email, and the results were satisfying.

First, on the day of our arrival, my longtime best friend met us at my in-laws' home, with her husband and two sons.

Zephyr, Jubi, Ian, and Quinn
on the laps of
Jon, me, Laura, and Brian

As the story goes, when we were about ten months old, we were in a playpen at Laura's house, which was about a quarter mile from my house. When her mother took her out for a nap, I cried. When my mother took me out to go home, I cried. When we heard this story as teenagers, we did the math, and decided we must have become friends that day.

I also remember the day we found out that my mother was paid to watch Laura every day after kindergarten. We had always assumed that our long afternoons together were motivated by nothing other than pure friendship and contentedness in each other's company. There was a poignant moment as reality sunk in. "You were paid to be my friend?" I remember Laura half-pouting.

But nothing will ever sully my memories of the hours and hours we spent together, creating huge pretend worlds that stretched throughout several rooms of the house, swinging and exploring outside, changing our barbie dolls' clothes and using them to rehearse what we thought "adult life" might be like. And, I truly believe this, if it weren't for Laura, I might never have become someone who exercises. Laura's family was a healthy, active one. She began running cross country in seventh grade. By the time eighth grade rolled around, I decided I had to join. Otherwise, she'd be spending all kinds of time with other friends, and she might like them more than me! I still remember the time she coached me though my first two mile run. Thank you, Laura, for introducing me to something that has become a lifelong habit- a body that knows exercise.
I'm not sure if it's my imagination or a memory, but I can almost hear us, as high school students, vowing that our kids would play together when we were grown up. And it did feel something like destiny. Jon's parents have a good supply of legos and other toys, and Zephyr and Quinn played together easily after a brief warm-up period. And even though Laura and I hadn't seen each other in over a decade, and our busy lives don't permit us to communicate very frequently, the conversation flowed easily. Although they had originally planned to get back on the road that evening (they were en route home from a vacation), time got away from us, and they spent the night in my in-laws' RV. We said goodbye after breakfast the next morning, and, with any luck, not as much time will lapse before our next visit.

Originally, I thought I could write about our whole trip in one post, but it's already taken me several days to write this much, and I'm tired. So I'm going to go ahead and publish this post, and spoon it out as I'm able.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with a current Zephyr quote. Tonight, as we were getting the kids ready for bed, I heard Jon explain to Zephyr, "The only thing you have to do to fall asleep is close your eyes." "No," Zephyr disagreed. "There's also lying really still, and quieting your mind."
It's good to be back.