(More than) Fourinarow.net

It’s pretty quiet here.  The three older kids are watching the latest movie from the library and Sam is eating and playing at the table.

Usually, this would be cause for a celebration – peaceful time for Mom.  But today I sit… depressed.

Our wonderful, wonderful friends just left for their long trek back to Kansas.  Of course, we all probably need to recover, but still.  We hated to see them go.

Courtney has been my dear friend for more than 20 years now.  It makes me makes me feel very old to say that, but having her here made me feel like a teenager again.  It’s been more than 5 years since we’d last seen her and her husband, Roger, which means I had never met her beautiful daughter, Celeste, and she hadn’t yet met my two youngest boys.  What a reunion!  I was nervous for Celeste, as my four can be a little overwhelming – especially to a 19-month-old – but she jumped right into the fray, seemingly unafraid.

While they were here, we rode the train, got some culture at the Art Institute, walked hundreds of miles* around downtown, ate Chicago-style pizza, watched a ton of trains, found a GREAT Mexican restaurant (and ate and drank ourselves silly), forced the men to take the children swimming, grilled steaks, ate and drank some more, watched a movie and laughed our asses off all weekend.

Me 'n Court

Celeste ate her very first Happy Meal while she was here, shared her French with us, and basically got to live la vida loca for a few days.

I’m sure we all need some exercise now to work off the pounds we put on.  And the adults need to dry out.  The kids need to get back into a routine.  But…  we just hated to see them go!  Maria cried and Luke asked if they could come back tomorrow.  Jack wants to follow them to Kansas.  I hope they move here one day.

There’s nothing like getting to spend time with good friends.

*It was really only a couple, but if you asked my kids, they would have told you that we forced them to walk hundreds.  They were so hot.  And tired.  And thiiiirrrssssty.