Inspired by a Pop-in.

A friend I haven't seen in months just did the random pop-in this afternoon.  And just seeing her face and giggling with her for a few minutes made my day.  Sometimes I forget how wonderful it is to be blessed by so many wonderful friendships, and I am only reminded when something out of the ordinary happens, like Kimi stops over in the middle of the afternoon while I'm cutting up strawberries and I almost don't answer the door because I'm afraid it's a Jehovah's Witness or someone trying to sell me some milk.  Just her 20 minute visit reminded me that I have so many wonderful, caring, fun friends in my life, and I just feel so blessed to have these friendships.

I don't know that I would realize just how lucky I am if I hadn't abandoned everything I knew before to move across the country to live "someplace pretty and peaceful."  Because I remember having what Rick Godwin calls "The Oh God Moment."  Feeling so alone and so afraid and so... stupid.

I had just dropped off my 'known each other our whole lives' best friend at the airport in Denver after she had driven across the country with me from Michigan.  And driving back up to Estes Park, I thought, Oh God. I don't know anyone here.  What in the world did I just get myself into.  I just left everyone I have ever loved and everyone who has ever loved me to come out here to the mountains and clean toilets?  What was I thinking?  Why did I do this?  Why am I here?  What am I going to do?  How am I ever going to make any friends or meet a husband or...?  Oh shit.  What did I do?  What did I just do?


Oddly enough, as the road began to get winding and more interesting, and the beauty of the mountains began to unfold, I remembered, Oh yeah.  I'm here because this is beautiful.  And I have room to breathe... and adventure awaits.


And Colorado has never been any different than that to me.  It has been lonely at times through the past 8 years I've lived here, but it has never ceased to be beautiful and adventurous and a great place to be able to breathe... even though my father always says otherwise...

But it has also been so interesting in terms of making friendships, this living in a place without family, living in a place where I started out with zero friends.

I have one friend who grew up here, her husband grew up here, and both of their parents still live close by.  And every time I have a party, she always asks, "How do you know all of these people?"  And I don't know how I know them, I just meet them, and I like them, and I tell them that we should be friends.  And then we are.  And then I make them come over and have dinner.  And then I make my kids play with their kids and all of a sudden I'm throwing a party and I just want to invite the whole world over and make them all be my friends.  I sound a little like Dorie from Finding Nemo... 'I will take you home, and you will be my squishie."  Then again, Dorie and I have a lot in common... Forgetful, willing to just go along on an adventure, and if I get caught in something I'm leery of, I 'just keep swimming...'

There's no real point to this blog today, except maybe to say that I'm really grateful for you, friends.  And I'm glad I moved across the country, because it's beautiful here, I can breathe, and... adventure awaits.