sweet friends

So last week, I guess actually by now it's 2 weeks ago, Matt had to go all the way to Baltimore to take his written boards and then stay for a conference.  About an hour after he drove off, my friend called and said, "How'd you like to come to Atlanta tomorrow?"  After weighing my options - staying home alone for 6 days or visiting my friends I never get to see - the choice was clear!  Off to Atlanta!

The one issue - flying standby.  My friends have Delta connections and got me a super cheap ticket, but it was standby.  And I had to take a train 2 hours into JFK with my sweet darling little papoose of a one year old and cross my fingers that they let us on the flight.  So . . . I did it.  And there were all sorts of Long Island stereotypes being broken as people helped me drag my luggage and stroller on and off the train, onto the air train, and then up to the plane . . . where we waited, waited, waited until all the other passengers were on before they said we could go!  Woohoo!  

 

Wild buddy was jammin' until we landed and they unfastened the seatbelt sign.  

Whew.

After that wild ride, it was SO absolutely wonderful to see my friend Allyson pull up at the airport.  We met in Kenya and she was a great friend then, but we've grown even closer through frequent phone calls and VERY infrequent times together.  I saw Todd and Allyson at our wedding and then last year for a couple hours during our trip to Cleveland.  And now they have ANOTHER beautiful baby.  It was just super good for my heart to be with their family.  

And so, I took a few pics and actually took the time to edit a few of them . . . 

{above} little sister Elise and big sister Ava

{below} handsome Tyler

Bo had his first wrestling matches with Ty.  It was hilarious and awesome.

We just hung out and had fun . . . took the kiddos to chick-fil-a, played at the house, went on a walk, and just did life together. 

Ty turned 2 while we visited, and I got to help Allyson prepare for their rocket man party.  Complete with adorable cake:

Ty bringing a giant tub of cheese puffs to his party.

This is the opening prayer where I sniffled and teared up as Todd talked about Ty's rocky start and God's great plans for his life.  Tyler was born with a hemangioma on his liver - his liver was 8 cm long at birth.  With the help of a quick (miraculous) diagnosis and steroids, it shrunk to the typical 1 cm and he is one healthy sweet boy.  I was overjoyed to celebrate his second birthday with their family.  

A surprise for me - our friend Anita, another Kenya connection and one of my bridesmaids, recently moved to South Carolina and she and her husband came out as well.  What a treat, to be together!  I hope that when we move to Nashville we can make this happen a couple times a year.  And with Matt, too.  

We took the EARLY flight out because it has the most seats open.  Bo had his own little seat on that flight (hooray) but we missed the train home by SECONDS (boo).  It was slowly pulling away as I forlornly stood on the platform and contemplated jumping on . . . We took a different line home and got picked up from the stinky trains station and BOY, was I glad to be home.  I think I can write the book on traveling with a 12 month old.  Bo and I will take no less than FIVE flights together this month, without Matt.  Don't ask me how he managed to get out of all that.  But you know what, it doesn't even scare me anymore.  I've faced it all (did I mention he threw up on me last month?!).  I can handle it.  And it's always worth it to see our special friends and family!