Start and End with Friends

True happiness…arises, in the first place, from the enjoyment of one’s self, and in the next from the friendship and conversation of a few select companions. –Joseph Addison

I have been in blog withdrawl this last week. While the desire to blog was strong the pull of my relationships was stronger. My created community is important to me. I value friendship in my life, even more now that we are living so far from our extended family. It was very fitting that 2007 ended in the company of friends and 2008 started in the company of friends. And this first week of January was just rich with opportunities to interact with some very important people in our lives.

Monday (New Year’s Eve) saw Ashley and I having morning tea with my friend Pauline. While Caitlin was overjoyed to be returning to preschool after our visit from Grandma and Granddad, Ashley just loved the chance to spend time alone with me and Pauline. She explored Pauline’s house, played her piano, watered her lemon plant and convinced us all to trek outside to the back yard, in the cold morning air, to swing on Pauline’s swing. (Oh, and thanks to Pauline, I ended 2007 with a load of our unneeded items removed from the garage and donated to Goodwill. Pauline had hired a truck for a project and made time to transport our donations. I am very grateful for this friendly gesture.)

Ashley watering Pauline's lemon plant

At lunchtime I collected Caitlin from preschool and brought Oliver and Eliza home to play with us too. It’s the first time Oliver has joined us for an afternoon play date. Usually we just have Eliza. All four of the children seemed ecstatic at this rare opportunity to be together for a whole afternoon. My two strongest memories from this afternoon: 1. Oliver greeting me at school with a big hug because he was so delighted to be coming home with me. 2. Oliver playing an alligator chasing the three mermaids: the girls ran down the hall and closed the study door to escape the alligator. Oliver stayed in character, making slow progress as he dragged himself along the length of the hallway to reach the study, open the door and continue his search for mermaids. I was totally impressed that he didn’t just get up and run to the door, after all the girls couldn’t see him anymore, so they wouldn’t have known that he’d stopped pretending for a minute. But I guess he’ have known!

Oliver, Caitlin and Eliza heading to our house to play

Later the rest of the family joined us for dinner and we ended our New Year’s Eve in the company of the good friends we have enjoyed over the last 3 years.

Having fun with our friends on New Year's Eve