Seasons

Last night, Joe and I had the pleasure of having a dear friend and her (delightful) children over for dinner.  Joe has been friends with JanElaine (aka JES) since 2nd grade... she and I became friends in 5th grade.  There were lots of ups and downs in our friendship when we were younger, but as we've grown older, we've kept in touch.  She flew in (and then flew back home less than 24 hours later) for Joe and I's wedding.  We drove to California to see her marry her husband Andy on the beach.   The last time we saw JES was about 10 years ago.  Julia was a tiny baby, and her daughter Lara was a toddler.  Since then, JES has moved to Hawaii.  And she has added two more adorable munchkins to her family... Kai and Kiana (and when I say adorable, I mean adorable... these kids were cute, polite and tons of fun!)

Despite the fact that we haven't seen each other in 10 years and our only contact has been Facebook posts (me posting all the time, she posts rarely) and Christmas letters (mine always boring and predictable, hers are funny and light)- we picked up just like we had talked the day before.  We had some really great conversation....

One of the things that JES talked about a lot during our conversation (as the kids partied in the pool) were the seasons of her life.  She talked about her current season (raising kids, supporting her husband, and living in Hawaii) and the seasons to come (maybe a season in the snow).  We also talked about lots of our shared past seasons... from childhood memories of her hanging out at my house after piano lessons, to double dates, to hard times that we've each experienced. We talked about families, and the seasons that we've experienced as daughters, as mothers, as friends.

All that talking about seasons really got me thinking... about the season that has just passed for Joe and I and our kiddos, and the seasons that are still ahead of us.  Seems like we are really in transition right now- our last season was a hard one- but a new season is dawning and it seems to have the potential to be a wonderful season for us all....

That's all I've got for tonight folks (between weekend travels, family drama, work stress.. I am totally exhausted), but I have to say thanks to JES for reminding me that we are passing through seasons... and that each season will have good times and bad, joy and sorrow and that each season of our lives will be distinctly unique and different and should be enjoyed and experienced as it happens...

Here's some photos from two very different seasons of our lives... Joe and I with JES at her wedding (I know, what was with the glasses and the bangs?) and then Joe, JES and I last night (as captured by Miss Julia- she looked long and hard at the first picture to make sure to get the second one just right...)

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven....

Night all.
C