Snow White & Prince Charming 2008

I’ve been saying “Family is where you find it” for so long that I don’t even know where it came from.  I think I started saying it while living in Nantucket with my awesome friends, The Chickenbox Gang.  It means that friends are family to me.  I’ve gone through life thinking that friends happen by happenstance: a shared calculator in chemistry class, sharing a tear at the end of a workday in a daycare room, chatting together in the school lobby.  But I am wrong; that’s just geography.  As life bounces along, I’m beginning to suspect God has a plan that ties us together.  All at different times, all for different reasons.

Who knows where life will take Sara and Brycey?  Who knows?!  But in my heart, I wish for their lifelong bond to last.  I wish for Sara this brother figure who will watch over her as they grow.  Who will protect her from bullies because Mommies can’t be everywhere.  But I dare not dream it.  Real life has been much better than my dreams these past 6 years (other than the nightmarish sleep loss!).

So what does a Sara/Brycey Weekend look like after 3 LONG LONG years of friendship?

Thursday night: Brycey and Keri arrive….play until they nearly pass out standing up.

Friday: School for Sara, errands for Keri and Bryce…unite again for lunch and naps.  Awake at 3 pm to rush over to the mall for our long awaited Halloween pictures of the two munchkins in their coordinating costumes.  They turned out better than we hoped.  Quarter rides, cookies…NO TIME…RUSH HOME…

Friday night: Meet up with Noah and his entire extended family for a pizza party downtown.  Everyone suits up in many layers for a walk through the Indy Zoo at night.  The entire thing is lit up with a zillion lights.  A ZILLION…I COUNTED.  IT WAS AWESOME.

20 degrees (maybe colder) and we were sweating!

The Red Gliders Gang Unites: Keri, Me, Ana Paula (the other two are smiling, but they are Southern and freezing their arses off!)

Saturday: Up and out we head to the Model Train Exhibit at White River Gardens, and if you don’t go, you are missing out.  So very special and right there in the warm butterfly gardens (please don’t ask where the butterflies go in winter…I don’t want to spoil our mood here).

Saturday night: Noah and family come over for presents, a chicken and noodle dinner, cookie making and a ROCKIN’ DANCE PARTY.  Somewhat impromtu, but I felt the need to dance.

Stay up super late with popcorn in the basement watching “Jungle Book”.

Sunday: Everyone cries a big goodbye (Keri and I have slept off a couple of bottles of 3 Buck Chuck), and we all sleep for a week!

So much missing of Brycey and Keri, but it’s good to have friends to miss, yes?  It’s good to love people so very much that when you do get together, even the air is kissed with sugary sparkles.  I cherish the memory of last weekend.  Merry Christmas you guys; Godspeed until we meet again.