Kansas City

We had a wonderful weekend in Kansas City!  We went there because my college friend, Mike, got married on Saturday.  This was the first time we have been back to KC since we moved from there to Idaho in August 2006. Here are a few highlights:

• On Friday afternoon, we visited the new-to-us Nazarene General Ministry Center (GMC) where we got to see lots of friends that we hadn't seen in years.  The building is nice, but seeing our friends was definitely the best part for me.
• We attended the rehearsal dinner on Friday evening, where Guitarman savored every bite of the Kansas City barbecue.
• I met Steph's kids, Luke and Mila. I've been dying to meet them! I also met Dan and Jen's youngest son, Ben.
• It warmed my heart to watch Snuggles playing with Mila. (They are about 3 months apart in age.) I never thought I'd see my kid playing with my best-friend-from-college's kids. A little surreal, but oh-so-sweet.
• It was really fun to see all my college friends in shock and awe over the fact that I'm now a mother... not to mention that I haven't completely screwed Snuggles up by now.
• We visited Steph's house. It great to see her home, and I enjoyed hanging out with her husband. 
• Snuggles absolutely loved Steph's 90-pound dog, Jake, who is super docile. Jake rewarded Snuggles' squeals of delight with big, sloppy dog kisses.
• Mike's wedding was lovely and very meaningful. The homily (sermon) was a great reminder for me about the sanctity of marriage, and how marriage is a journey with God, together with one's spouse.
• Guitarman and I enjoyed driving around the city, seeing places that held so much significance in our life together.  "Look, Snuggles... This is where Mommy and Daddy went on our first date!" (Not that he cares.)
• After the wedding reception, a bunch of my college friends hung out at a restaurant (without kids!), just talking about old times and telling stories. We laughed until we cried! 
• Steph and I had time to chat just the two of us. Words can't express how dear she is to me. 
• After we left the restaurant, Guitarman and I hung out at Dan and Jen's house with Steve, and we laughed some more. 
• I can't remember the last time I had as much fun as I had this weekend.

Here are a few of my realizations from this weekend:

• The best kind of friends are the ones who you can be separated from for years, and then pick right back up as if you were never apart.
• Time changes everything and everyone... and I don't just mean by adding pounds, wrinkles and gray hair.
• Mutual love for God creates life-long bonds.
• Home is where your heart is... My heart is with my friends, spread out all over the country.
• Never travel long distances in a Nissan Xterra with a 16-month-old toddler. Xterras are made for off-road sports, not family travel.

One of the best things about the whole weekend is that Guitarman had fun, too! He didn't know me when I was in college, but he fit right in with my college friends as if he had been there the whole time. That makes me love him even more.