Where On Earth Have You Been?

That is a good question. Since the beginning of June, I have either been somewhere or someone has been here. The basement was finished and suddenly we have found ourselves swamped with activity.

First, my niece Ashley came to stay for a week. While she was here, Jon's brother Greg and his family joined us. Marin adored being with her cousins.

The day after Greg and Andi left, Ashley, Marin and I packed our bags and drove to Dallas to see my sister. We celebrated Kellan's second birthday, and Marin finally began swimming without any floatie. It only took bribery, ear splitting screaming (from Marin, not me) and Maddie to finally coax her to let go. It quickly went from "Don't let go of me!" to "Don't touch me... I can swim."

After too many late nights and syrupy humidity (who doesn't love summer in Dallas?) Marin and I drove to Wichita Falls, Texas to see my cousin Lynette and her husband Joe and daughter Natalie. Marin got to paint in Joe's art studio, a definite highlight only surpassed by the fact that Natalie has a chiuaua. Since Marin thought the dog could possibly be SkippyJon Jones, it was hard to beat that thrill.

Marin and I returned home to Denver after a long back ache inducing drive... no amount of wiggling and twisting can take that driving ache away... to arrive to a houseful of friends. Kellie, my oldest (and by oldest I mean longest. By longest I mean I've known her since I was two) friend came for the night with her two adorable kids, her mom - whom I referred to as my second mom for most of my life - and her sister Megan. They are always cherished guests. I have known Kellie longer than I've known almost anyone. As she drove away, I was thinking that no matter how much I love my life here, no matter how many amazing friends I have in this city (and I have a lot of amazing friends) I never stop missing Kellie. She's as permanent as family; even more so, because she was a choice. Seeing her makes me miss all those girls in Kansas City too even as I embrace my girlfriends here.

While Kellie was here, Jon was backpacking in the Black Canyon, fly fishing with two of his friends. He returned home, bringing his friends with him for two nights. They left the same morning that we packed our car up and drove north, stopping first to see Jon's family then trecking farther north to see my dad and step-mom in their summer home in Canada. With a house that sits squarely on lakefront property, it's easy to unwind. We sea-doo, swim, fish, eat extremely well, pick wild berries, look for bears, and read. On the way home, we stopped to see Jon's family again and played for a solid day with six rottweiler puppies and four kittens at Aunt Laurie and Uncle Frank's house.

And now we're home. It's been so busy that I have had to catch my breath more than a few times. My grass is too long and must be cut, I am listening to the washer and dryer hack away at our laundry piles, and my cat is sitting on my feet as I write - all reminders that we've been away too long. Yes, it's been busy, but what would I change? Which things would I not have done? Not one of them. Time with friends, family... it stays with us long after the laundry has been folded and put away. I can rest tomorrow.