To say that this past weekend was one I won't soon forget is putting it lightly. I am continuing to bask in the afterglow of what my dear friends did for me. After we all enjoyed dinner together on Friday night and Abby and Chris left for SC, we decided to go bowling. What a fun night that was...especially during Cosmic Bowl where they turned on the disco lights and played dance music, including an all-time favorite of ours 'Another One Bites the Dust'. Took us right back to 1982!
On Saturday morning, we went for a 2.2 mile walk at one of the local parks close to home. We chatted the entire time and it was wonderful...
After we finished our walk, we went to Publix and the girls bought all sorts of groceries for lunch and dinner that night. We started preparing everything in the early afternoon. Marni made chicken salad for lunch, along with Redneck Caviar. For dinner, Amy grilled salmon and Alicia grilled some bread and made a tasty dessert (strawberries/blueberries over shortcake with whipped cream). Marni stir-fried asparagas and mushrooms. Everything was simply outstanding...
We sat up until about 1 AM that night playing some card games Marni brought along. One was called 'Briefs and Boxers' and it was a hoot and very insightful! The next morning, we all attended church together, which was especially nice...
After church let out, we drove over to Douglasville, about an hour away, and met one of our former high school teachers for lunch, Ms. Judy Butler. It was great catching up with her after all these years. She's, actually, a professor at a college outside of Atlanta...
We got home and took some more photos on our back deck. I wanted to milk our time together for all it was worth...
We munched on leftovers for dinner, then got on Face Time with another one of our close high school friends in Arkansas. We made a dance video to The Gap Band's song 'Burn Rubber on Me', laughed until we cried, looked through old yearbooks, read crinkled notes we passed to each other in class, etc. We didn't go to bed until 2 AM. I can't recall the last time I've had that much fun!
Of course, all good things must come to an end. We went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast on Monday morning because they were all due to fly out of Atlanta between 2:30-3:30 PM. We all did fine while we ate, but once we stepped outside to say our 'goodbyes', our eyes began to get misty. I told them how much I love and adore them...and they did the same with me. I explained how deeply touched I was (and still am) for what they did by flying out to spend the weekend with me. Then, the ugly cry began...and the tears started flowing.
I sure hated to see them leave, but we're already contemplating the next time we can get together. I think we may have started a tradition. For now, my heart is brimming with thankfulness for having such special ladies as these three in my life.
'A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.'
