A Celebration of Life and a Celebration of Birth

Almost a month ago my best friend Cassie text me to tell me she needed a ride from the airport because she was flying in to see her dad for his birthday in a few weeks since he hadn't been doing very well. Unfortunately, she sent me a message the next day that her dad passed away, so now she was coming in for his funeral instead of his birthday. Her dad and my dad were good friends. They went to college together and then worked together for years. Before I moved here with my mom I would spend my weekends here with my dad and we would go to Cassie's house. She and I would play and our dads would talk and watch tv together. So, when I finally moved here in the 7th grade, I was lucky enough to already have a friend that I had known for years at my new school! Cassie and I remained best friends all through high school and college, were in each others weddings (more on that here), I named my daughter after her (and some times I see Cassie in my daughter when she is being sassy) and to this day she is still my best friend. This has not been easy with me being here in our hometown while she has lived in Conway, Fayetteville, Hawaii, Colorado, and back to Hawaii! But, thanks to lots of texting, phone calls and Facebook we have been able to keep up with eachother and stay close. We always can pick right up where we leave off when she visits - even before we leave the airport parking lot sometimes (right Cassie?) :)

This is my second friend to lose a father in the last few months - I am not a fan of this season of life. I know it is inevitable, but I just don't think I will ever be ready for it to happen. I know I will be in this situation also - hopefully not any time soon, so I am trying my best to  be there for them because I know I will need them for the same thing.

On Saturday, instead of a funeral, my friend had a Celebration of Life for her dad. After going to two of these recently, this is definitely what I want for my parents also. I would love to celebrate their life and tell stories of better times - which is how I want my parents remembered. It was such a nice service to celebrate such a special man. After the service we went to lunch and guess who was in the booth beside us - Cassie and her husband! It was so nice to, just for a little while, have a life where I can accidentally run into my best friend at home.

I am holding out hope that they will move back closer some day. I love their life - it is so different from mine and full of amazing things - most of which they wouldn't have here. But, the family and friends could help make up for it - I am no tropical island, but I have a few good traits ;)  Don't get me wrong, I love my life too, every little bit of it. Cassie and I have talked about how different our day to day lives are and how we both love eachothers lives too - it is just crazy all the different places our lives can take us, but we still can have the same true best friend! I have lots of friends, but no one is as great as that one great friends you grow up with.

Saturday night Nathan fired up his new outdoor griddle and cooked us up a big breakfast for dinner! Eggs, bacon, sausage, fried potatoes and french toast! It was all so good! It even started snowing while he was out there cooking - so being the good wife I am I stood at the door, in the warm house and handed him stuff :) We found another classic movie to watch with the kids during dinner that night - Problem Child! The loved it! John Ritter is one of my favorites so this has always been one of my favorite movies from my childhood.

Grilling in the snow :)

Sunday after church the kids and I went to lunch while Nathan went to draft Ryan's t-ball team. Then we were invited to a first birthday party for one of our friends. It was the cutest lumberjack themed party! The kids had such a good time! After that we just had a quiet evening at home cooking and cleaning and getting ready for the week.

Nathan and the birthday boy, Huntley!

We are counting down to Spring Break next week where the kids and I are hitting the road on some adventures and then maybe Nathan and I get to go on an adventure alone :)