I'm Back.. physically but not Internetally....

I am home and it feels like I was really on a long vacation far away, but I was only gone 4 days and was 45 minutes away!

We had a busy time and lots of catch up..... we were up until 3am the first night... doing what? You can guess... gabbing!

During our time along with talking, eating, shopping and talking.... :) --- we were very athletic.. :) We talked about how this is the time to really take care of ourselves.... as we approach our 50's. Then one friend depressed us all and said if we wait 10 years to get together again we will be approaching 60! EEEK!

My out of state freind is a physical therapist- she was the one that started me running almost 30 years ago.. and she told me I don't HAVE to suffer from the neck pain that made me stop 8 years ago! She gave me some great massages and unclenched my muscles and taught me how to do it myself. YIPPEE!

We went to a special running store and they put my on a treadmill to watch my gait and recommmended some shoes. So we all went running together one morning (I also went today) and have high hopes I can continue.

We also had massages at my friend's gym/spa, and lifted weights. This was all counterbalaned with some delicious wine in the evenings.. and we truly let ourselves be on vacation.

Our lives have gone different directions in many ways, but we also have a bond that was made in college that will always be.

Now, my Internet is not working well... so if I am AWOL you will know why.

Me thinks it is my router..... sigh. I really have a love/hate relationship with this computer.... :0

Have a good week all---

God Bless and thanks for the lovely comments!

A Weekend Back to the Future

Speaking of my last post (Life After Kids) and the changes life bring us...

I am preparing for a little mini-vacation/girls weekend with two old friends I have known for years.

GE is a friend I have had since I was nine.

CA is a friend that GE and I met in college and we were a tight trio all through those days. We were in each other's weddings. We always said we would be friends.. forever and ever. :) We planned to take a vacation together every year for the rest of our lives.

We made it to Cancun once, in 1991. Oh well, once is better than nothing. And we have visited each other's homes a few times.

GE lives on the other side of this big city, so we keep up well. CA lives in another state, so we see each other maybe once every 5 years.

That said, I am doing laundry, packing, juggling schedules, (dh is leaving town on one day before I return, so getting all that straight..) and making some food for my two bottomless-pits of sons. I thought I would post this as I wait for my capri pants to dry....

I am thinking about how much my life has changed since we all shared our college daze. The paths we have taken. The families we all have. I wonder if we will have as much in common, or how (especially my far away friend) has fared, as her youngest just left for college last week.

I relized that God has each of us on a path. These paths do not cross by chance. Every intersection is a chance to be a servant. And laugh and play and enjoy who he puts in our path.

So, just a few reflections. Back in college we would sit in our little house and talk and talk. I can remember us specifically talking one time about how one day we would all be 40. 40!!? We could not imagine, but we tried.

Now we are all almost 50...:0

And we would be married, we would have careers and we would have kids. Well, we all do, and though my career was supplanted, we all did ok. We have all been married just one time and have strong marriages. We all are healthy, relatively. And we all are proud of our kids.

So off to the past.. and the future! Funny thing is none of us look gray. How could that be?

It should be a fun weekend..... talk to you Sunday!

Our 24th Anniversary Celebration

My dh's company had superb timing in giving him a little award for doing some sort of "SAP software application customer management in the right time frame" or SOMETHING and anyway treated us to a free dinner wherever we wanted, just send them the bill. :)

So he researched and found this place: The Lexington Grille.
John worked with a guy whose parents are Houston Old School (and Old Money..) and know all the best resturants intimately. This is one of their absolute favorites. Look at the site.. so tasteful, and intimate.. it is in an old house, converted to a resturant. There are only 11 tables in the whole place, that I could count.

The service was superb! I told John I would rather not eat out all year but then go twice to a place like this. Little touches- the owner is out checking on customers, the waiter will scrape up your crumbs between courses (I did feel a bit sloppy!), he knows how to open and pour wine correctly (John and I both waited tables in college so know the proper ettiqute), the coffee cups were preheated and kept it nice and warm while we lingered over our dessert.

Everything was perfect! Ok.. the food. Here is what we had:

We both had the Caeser salad. I love salad, especailly Caeser and this dressing was very flavorful but not too overdone.

For entrees, I had:

Beef tenderloin grilled to perfection served with sauteed mushrooms in a creamy gorgonzola port wine sauce

John had:

Rack of lamb roasted to your specifications served with a rich burgundy demi-glace

We shared a dessert- a chocolate mousse that was perfect, something you would see Emeril make on Food Network.

Candlelight, beautiful surroundings, great food and the bill was picked up by his work. What a great evening!

We talked about all sorts of things, and one was how to celebrate our 25th anniversary coming up next year. John said he would like to take 2 weeks and go to Ireland, (his homeland) with the boys. That sounded wonderful. We also thought about Italy. We would love to see Rome and the Vatican as well as everything else Italy has to offer. We shall see.

I felt very lucky last night!

I love those 2 specks!

My dh and my 16yos are visiting my MIL in Florida. My husband often checks the livecam online which is always pointed at the inlet near her home. Today my guys stood in front of where he knew the camera and called me to look on line. There they are! The two specks on the beach in front of the lifeguard tower.

They look like they are having so much fun! I miss them!

Click on the picture to see them 'close up'. :)