No Place Like Home

Well, sort of anyway. I left my family and went off for the weekend, and I am proud to say that there is also No Place like Away From Home! I had a blast!

Londie and I took off to Arkansas. We made sort of a loose deal with "our girls" before we both moved away. Send us an invite, and we'll come to graduation. We're not coming if we don't have a nice paper, stamped, old fashioned invite.

So we got one, and we went. We kinda told Brittany on Friday when she called to ask us if we were coming that we didn't realize it was that night! We thought it was next Friday, and were coming then! She was seriously bummed, so when she saw us at graduation, her reaction was to squeal real big, throw her arms around us and yell "Yall are Liars!!" It was great.

Actually, it really was great. We spent so much time with this group of girls, as their leaders. They are a fabulous group, each one is so talented and bright, and we've been through all their ups and downs with them. It's so satisfying to see them growing up and moving on in the world. I can't wait to see where they go.

Graduation was our excuse for the trip, but it was so great to see everyone! I was so surprised to see Tammi, my old workout/PTA friend (who is on the school board) get to present her son with his diploma. What an awesome experience!! And they had a photographer set up to take each graduate's picture with the superintendent who was handing out the diplomas, so she got to take the picture with Geoffrey. What a moment.

We also proved that although our ages may be increasing, our stamina and coolness has not. We hung out until 3 a.m. with our buds, went to the salon and got our hair and eyebrows done, did some shopping, watched the Thunderbirds fly at the air show, went to the Seminary Graduation Dance, and cleaned out Londie's house in one day!

Dropping by the church for the dance was quite an experience. I saw a particular member of the stake presidency who knows one particular bishop of mine pretty well. He has promised me lots of great stories about him, so much so that "he won't want to talk to ya for a good while." I wonder what I should do with this information??? I'm open for suggestions; it could be very valuable...

To finish out our trip, we dragged our exhausted butts to church before we left. What fun to get to see even more old friends! When you live away from family, the folks at church get to be your family of sorts, so going back is like going home. Our old Bishop (who was the bestest one ever) told me that when he saw us walk in together, he almost cried. This man was so wonderful in helping us with the girls, and guiding them and counseling them, and to have him say that and feel that was very humbling. It is a very good feeling to know your service touched lives.

So now I'm home, I'm pooped, and I'm hot. I could really use a long nap after three straight very late nights, but I'm not that lucky. I get to hop in the shower, pick up kids from school and go run the rat race.

I also see that my request to have Mt. McLaundry be relocated was not honored. Like it was that much to ask my family to move a mountain. They had three days! (Yes dear, I know you had a ballgame and two birthday parties to deal with. What's your point?)

So it really is back to the ol grind. I may just be ready to turn around and go back.