Dinner with Friends

Life has been a little more stressful than usual lately. Little Jimmy is undergoing some major teething complete with buckets of drool, lack of appetite, waking at 3 a.m. and some minor irritability throughout the day. His overall demeanor is still very pleasant and happy, and he's even been letting out some spontaneous belly laughs that bring this house so much joy.

Last night, we went for dinner over at Morgan and Erik's. Claire came too and it was such a nice retreat from me trying to find time to devote to making dinner. With Jimmy in the final week of training and teacher in-service before school starts, combined with my hectic work schedule and a boisterous 5 month old, this house is go, go, go. I was just ready for a relaxing evening, come as you are. That was exactly what I got.

I am truly blessed to have friends who are so dear to my heart and live so close. Although we don't get together as much as we would like, when we are together there never seems to be enough time. The dinner was delicious. A storm rolled through as our evening's backdrop and the calming sound of rain on the roof was a welcome addition. Claire, Morgan and I picked up right where we left off, gushing about work, life, and the future. The guys, immediately after stuffing themselves to the brink of pure misery, retreated to the couch for baseball. Jimmy took little Jimmy so I could sit and talk without puddles of drool accumulating in my lap and hands. God puts people in your life for a reason, and I know exactly why Claire and Morgan are such a big part of mine.

Little Jimmy had such a fun time flirting and exploring the new environment that when we returned home he had just enough energy for a bottle and then he fell right to sleep. Expecting to hear from him at 3 a.m., Jimmy and I turned in early as well. When sunlight began to fill the room and I realized Jimmy had left for work, it dawned on me that the baby never made a peep. He was so exhausted from all that playing he slept peacefully through the night and gave me the rest I've been longing for.

Thank you to my dear friends for such a wonderful evening, filled with laughter and making memories. Our family is so blessed to have all of our supportive, wonderful friends in our lives and we hope each and every one of you knows that we would do anything for you.