My Place of Calm

Do you have that place you go when you just can’t get out of a funk? Come on, you have to have somewhere that just makes you feel right inside… makes everything in the world seem okay… think hard about it…

In years past I’ve spent Labor Day cooking out, at the river, or near a pool.. this year I did things a little differently. Yesterday I spent the last day of “summer vacation” hanging in with two little crazy-faces that make my life oh, so sweet. It’s impossible to not smile, laugh, or even think about thinking of anything that’s been bothering you when they’re in earshot. When you’re with these little beasts, life seems so simple and perfect. I know, perfect is hard for many to accept when you mention spending a day with a four and three-year-old brother-sister duo… but my best friend of 17 years blessed the world with two kids that make it truly a much brighter place.

Yesterday I watched as they ran from their rooms, down the hall, diving into their mom’s bed, where she and i were sitting to catch up, then off again as I would reach to tickle one of them. Numerous times back and forth… back and forth. A couple times they’d take a break to pretend they were Superman flying across that world of a bed by way of my feet… This was my Labor Day.

While most of my friends posted photos of beach lounging, river playing, and pool sitting (all of which I do love), I laid watching these two munchkins laughing hysterically as they wrestled with each other, played games, or used our phones to take a bazillion and a half pictures of themselves… which I must say, always leave me laughing when I scroll through them later.

The oldest, my godson, started pre-school today, which is why I wanted to spend time with both of them yesterday. It’s hard for me to believe that just four short years ago I got a phone call saying he was born a month early (had he waited one more month, our birthdays would have been exactly six months a part… but he’s still a 26’er, so I’ll let it slide).

I remember holding him for the first time and her mom letting it slip I was going to be asked to be the godmother. My friend was so upset she spilled the news! But it just made me smile. She’s been one of my best friends since the third grade. We met in school… In Mrs. Powell’s class… We danced in numerous talent shows together, played dress-up together, she taught me how to dance before school dances (oh I’ve got moves), I even went through one of my best stages with her (everyone from middle school has at least one good story of this, I know I’ll never live down), we had at least one class every year together… I still have the paper she signed that she and I traded when we were in fourth grade — we swore we’d be famous one day and we wanted to be the first to have each other’s autographs. I have countless necklaces and bracelets that we shared, pieces that fit together declaring our “BFF” status…

Fifth grade summer party on my backporch

Seventh Grade Dance

Eighth grade Quinceanera dance for Spanish I

Twenty Something?

…I’m so excited for him to find a “bff” the way we found each other… maybe without all the ridiculous trouble we found ourselves in… or maybe that’s part of what makes our story so solid and our friendship so deep.

This is my place. Every time I’ve had a bad day, a bad year, a challenge in my life… no matter where I’ve been, where I am, how long it’s been… that place with my best friend and now with her son and daughter… that’s my place of calm. Did you think of your place? Watch this while you’re still thinking about it:

Oh, and in writing this post… I just received an update… he promised he’d call me when he got home from his first day. I’ve been walking on cloud 9 the past two days… this kid is a charm. He loved day one. Sie, you are one lucky momma, you have two true gems.

Hope all parents had a great Day One with your little guys and gals!

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