Whatever We Want...

We...The six of us...




















Are headed here....

for the next couple of days. We are headed to the Charlottesville area for the weekend to do a little bit of....whatever we want. Yep. You heard that right. We have no agenda. No craft show. No dinner reservations. No curfew. We have no itinerary to keep up with, no marriage workshops and the only Women of Faith to see will be each other.

We (I) will wear fleece pajama pants until someone makes me change my clothes. We will have Panera bagels for breakfast and we will eat them.....sitting-down....gasp. We will laugh a whole bunch and certainly six women couldn't possibly come together with this much food and freedom and not let the tears fall, at least a couple of times.

Oh, and did I mention that we do have some food? A whole bunch of it and the real bad kind. Bring on the trans fats people. Fry it, dip it, cover it in sugar and please, please, please pour a whole bunch of coffee creamer in it. We plan on eating until it's all gone or until our acid reflux says "enough already".

We plan on working out several issues, like the seeker-friendly church movement, homeschooling, the election of 08', the war in Iraq, the sale at Ann Taylor, the best self-tanners, how Kelly F. wears those super narrow shoes, the sovereignty of God, our role in evangelism, what is church discipline, and is it really worth it to clip coupons? Everyone will eventually share their childhood stories, their childbirth stories and their child whippin' rearing stories. It'll be way better than Oprah. You better believe it.

One of the virtuous women in our clan will be leaving us soon. Not too far away, but far enough to change the sweet composition of this little cluster. So it is a little bitter sweet but I refuse to complain about this transition in our sister/friendship. We have been blessed beyond measure thus far and complaining would be so ungrateful. And if there is anything I am.....it is grateful.

More when I return. I wish I could have you guys peer in on my people here beyond this screen. It makes me crazy nervous and sad to ever leave my family. I am never quite okay with the whole process. A couple of days is way more than I need and the preparation is nearly enough to never ever do it again! I feel like I should lay out every cotton-pickin' thing we own, from Pepto-Bismol to fishing bait because I would hate for someone to need something and for goodness sakes, I'm not here to find it. My oldest has broken into tears on several occasions already. Momma should be home. I agree.

Still, a break is almost necessary. Usually once a year and not for more than a couple of days, but it's enough to see my little piece of heaven from a clear vantage point. I am blessed to have these dear friends to go with and blessed to have my husband hold down the fort and make memories like only *a Dad left alone* can do. You know what kind of memories I'm talking about, right? Let's just say, I'll have a hard time booting those kids out of my spot in the bed when I return :)

So I'm off to finish making the 233rd list for my dear sweetie, lay out the Sunday clothes, fret about the hair-do's and the eye boogers that may be on display at church and try to pack.

I haven't written much this week with substance, but I love what Kim has written here and here and couldn't agree more. I am also incredibly moved and in awe of what John Piper has written about the last moments with his father. Read about that here and also another testament to the impact his Godly daddy made in his life, here.

Blessings to all!

Kim