Tag Archives: friends

Tiny Girlfriends

13 Aug

So Sweet

This weekend Nia got to have a blast with her best friend from Savannah.  Avery and her parents came to stay with us and it was such a great time.  It just amazes me how much these two little girls click.  They went to the same daycare together since they were like six months old or something and were inseparable from the start. Their cribs were even next to each other!  Taking Nia away from her Avery was really hard for us but it seems (thankfully) the distance hasn’t hurt their friendship. 

As soon as Avery got in the door (around 11:00 pm Friday) Nia and her were hugging and screaming and destroying the house.  It was so awesome hearing them giggling at 7:00 am and watching them hold hands as they walked.  This was the first “sleepover” for both girls and they did great.  They actually went to sleep and they were in the same room!  They were playing really hard though and we did keep them super busy.

On Saturday, we went to Stone Mountain Park and stayed out until 11:00 pm watching a laser/fireworks show on the mountain.  Before that, the kids ran around like crazy in a big barn full of foam balls and nets to climb.

Best of Friends

On Sunday, we went back to the Georgia Aquarium (it was Avery’s first visit there) and had a picnic near the tank of the Beluga Whales.  (It was so crowded there we couldn’t find a table!  It all worked out for the best though – just look at what we got to see while we ate!)

Our Entertainment during Lunch

The girls played so well together and it was like they had never been apart.  Andrew and I got along really great with Avery’s parents too (even the big kids had a ton of fun) so I know we’ll be seeing more of them – I just wish the girls could grow up together.  We just have to do all we can to make sure they keep in touch and see each other as much as possible – it would just be so sad to not see where their friendship leads.

Munchkins

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The Valles Home is Vacant

2 Aug

We were booked up all through July but now it’s just us again and I’m trying to adapt.  It went something like this –

  • Our friends Chris and Julie arrived first
  • Andrew’s mom (“Lola”) came next
  • Andrew’s sister (Aunt “Ree”) and our niece Baby Ella came to take Lola home with them (we are good sharers)
  • just us for a few days (I read Harry Potter!)
  • Andrew’s mom came back with his dad (Papa Dave)
  • Papa Nick and Grandma Kris made the trip down here

A lot of the visits overlapped each other too – Lola first came down while Chris and Julie were here and that worked out great – we played board games and she watched the kids for us while Chris, Julie and us hit Atlanta for a fun night out.  My dad’s visit also overlapped Lola’s and Papa Dave’s but that turned out to be just fine too – we all went to the zoo and had a great time.  It’s just a blessing that we have a house that can accommodate everyone.  It would not have been possible at our Savannah house that’s for sure!

I’m just so thankful for all of the visitors we had – they brought so much love, laughter and comfort to us and it’s so hard to say goodbye and adjust to not having anyone here.  Nia will wake up and ask where people are.  Nate was picking up new words (he actually says Mommy now!) while everyone was here and I saw how they all helped his little brain get a boost.  (With me he only walks around talking like a caveman.)  We were so spoiled and the only reason that I’m not all down-in-the-dumps is because I know I’ll be seeing some of them and more (my mom and Ginger, Lee and Cami) in a month on the beach!  My dad and Kris just left us yesterday and Nia already asked, “When’s Honey (my mom) coming?”  Not soon enough!

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Changes

10 Jul

Our Winder friends are moving.  We’ve grown really close to Monica, Steven, Sofi and Will over these past 8 months and it really hasn’t fully hit me yet. Steven was offered a great job near the Georgia/Florida line and will be moving there in 3 weeks.  It’s a wonderful opportunity for them and I am genuinely happy for them but the selfish side of me is super sad. I just can’t imagine living in this city without them.  They’re the reason I joined the Y, went to story hour at the library and basically survived during the weekdays since we’ve been here.  It’s been really hard to try to explain it to Nia too.  She still has pictures of her Savannah friends on display in her room – she still asks me when she’s going to get to see them.  How am I supposed to tell her that she’s losing another buddy?

What’s even more sad about the whole thing is I don’t know if we’ll stay close after they move.  I’d like to hope we’ll still talk on the phone and try to see each other – but I don’t know…

Some friends you can pick right up where you left off even after you haven’t talked/seen each other in months or even years.  Some friends you think of during the stupidest of moments or the most serious of moments and you know they would totally understand what you’re going through right then.  The two of you are so close that you never have to worry about what you say – you know that no matter what they are going to love you and be there for you.  You just know you are supposed to be friends.

As I grow up, I’ve come to realize that those good friends are hard to find and if you are lucky enough to find them – you need to do all you can to make sure distance, time or a disagreement don’t keep you apart.  Love ya pals!

 

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Thanks for Liking Me

30 May

I am feeling pretty great right now.  I just had a super fun weekend with my good friend Julie and her mom.  Julie’s the kind of friend you don’t need to talk to all the time or see (haven’t been together since we lived it up in Atlanta in 2005) to know you’re friends.

We were practically inseparable while our husbands were at war and I treasure every minute I shared with her during that time. I know we both helped each other through all of the uncertainty and stress and I couldn’t even imagine what it would have been like for me and the Bean without her.

I have so many fun memories because of her (and a really awesome set of pink high heels) and I feel lucky to be able to call her my friend.  I look forward to the next time we can watch t.v., go shopping, drink yummy fraps or play a board game (even though she wins all the time) together. (Julie, this means you need to call me and book your next trip to Resort Valles!  I will leave fancy chocolates on your pillow next time! Miss you!)

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I Will Not Cry

6 Mar

I am going to try to get through this without letting a tear slide down my face. I can’t promise they won’t fill up my eyes but I will try to hold them in there until I’ve at least published this.

I just want to brag about my friends.  I feel so very lucky to have such great buddies.  They brighten my days and spoil me with their love.  I know I may not always get to talk to them as often as I would like but when I do it’s so much fun and I always feel less-stressed after our conversations.  I’m so glad they don’t give up on me when I don’t call for awhile. I couldn’t imagine my life or my family’s life without you in it.

Lately, I’ve been feeling really bad about how things are now with a good college friend I had.  She was even in our wedding and was a great friend and it makes me sad to think that we just lost touch.  It’s really my fault.  She got married about two years ago and I completely forgot to send a present or even a card.  It happened around the time I found out baby number 2 was on the way and I just got caught up in myself and now I can’t forgive myself.  I didn’t get a Christmas card from her in 2005 but then one came this past Christmas and I just lost it.  Now, every day that goes by I want to call her and pour my heart out to her telling her what I jerk I am and asking for her forgiveness.

DARN IT!  A little tear got out!  It’s made it to my cheek and now is creeping down my neck!  SNEAKY TEAR!

Oh well, I do plan on calling her – I just don’t want to be a big, blubbering fool and her be on the other end of the phone thinking, “do I really want this psycho back in my life?”

All I can do now is thank my friends who allow this psycho to be in their lives now – I only hope I am as good a friend to you as you are to me.

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Feast or Famine

2 Mar

So much has happened with the Valles fam this past week that it was too hard to sit down and write about at the time – now though the boy is taking a nap (and will probably wake up before I can finish this) so I will try and share everything as quickly (and interestingly) as I can.

Last Thursday – I get sick.  Like real sick.  Like can’t stand up or I’m going to throw up sick.  Like did throw up while boy was playing with the toilet bowl brush with one hand and hitting me on the back with the other.  I couldn’t function and wasn’t able to call in sick because Andrew was stuck in a meeting all day and couldn’t come home.  It was a big challenge.  Before, when I worked and got sick, I could call in and then Andrew would take the kids to day care – of course you know that’s not the case anymore so I was forced to try to stomach making them lunch and required to try and stay awake.  By the end of the day I started feeling better but then Andrew started feeling sick and then (even worse) at 3 in the morning Nia wakes me up saying in a very sad voice “Momma, I threw up in my bed.”  She stayed sick for the next 24 hours.  I finally knew she was feeling better when she asked for “chicken, french fries and bananas” for dinner.

After the Sickiness

After the Sickiness

On Monday, we all loaded up (minus Joey who got to stay at a doggy-kennel-resort) and headed to Savannah.  Andrew had to work there and I figured we all might as well go since we really didn’t have to be here by ourselves.  Visiting Savannah was so wonderful and it made me remember why I loved it there so much.  Of course the people we love, but also there’s just something about that town.  I even missed that awful smell that is distinctly Savannah.  We only stayed for a few days but they were such great days.  The kids and I got to spend time with Aunt Ree, Uncle Marcus and Baby Ella – Ginger, Lee and Cami – Karen and Baby Andrew – Paul – I even went to see WSAV and Nia got to play with her old friends at her day care.  It was awesome taking her there – the kids bombarded her and they fought over her all day saying “that’s MY Nia!”  She was a little overwhelmed and played hard and it was just so sweet to see how much 3-year-olds can miss each other.  Nia’s really good friend Avery started to cry when Nia had to leave – kind of like I did when I had to say goodbye to Ginger – proving there’s really no age limit on missing your buddy.

Before the Move

Just Visiting

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Signing Off from Savannah

29 Nov

Tonight is the last night I will have this computer to type on in Savannah.  It all seems so unreal.  Right now, I should be packing up our “get us through the days until we’re in our new house” stuff but instead I’m racing to get this blog up before Andrew comes in and wants to pack up the ‘puter.  I just have to take in what I’m feeling and hold on to it in some way…

I love this city.  It is such a beautiful and captivating place – there is none other like it. I hope with all of my heart that we will be able to come back here someday…soon.  I know I’m not even gone yet – I’m sure our new city will offer me a bunch of unique qualities that I will come to love – but I’m pretty sure it will never make me feel the way Savannah does.

After all, look at all Savannah has given us.  Amazing friends, the birthplace of Nia and Nate, our first mortgage, my first real car accident (and second!), incredibly fun nights out on the town, a real sense of history just by walking on River Street (with a Wet Willy of course). I was always so excited to live in a “tourist town” because I grew up in a place that no one would ever want to pay money to visit.  Now we are moving to another “non-tourist town” and I know I will have to search through it to find the special place it will hold in my heart.

A few weeks ago I started writing a “What I Will Miss About Savannah” list.  I never really finished it – but I still want to share what I did write-
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What I’ll Miss about Savannah: (in no particular order)

-Savannah – there is no other place like it – so beautiful, mysterious, historic, entertaining, inviting – I feel like it pulled me in and now won’t let me go – I only hope it wins the tug of war and pulls me back in a few years

-Family – Andrew’s sister, her husband and our beautiful niece Baby Ella – I don’t want to miss her grow up – her, Nia and Nate LOVE playing together and I want them be close – I also love hanging out with Anna Marie and Marcus and it’s so comforting to live so close to them now

-Ginger, Lee and Cami – I so wanted to be able to Cami-sit for them like they did for us so many times – I wanted to have our families go on play dates and beach dates and then (much later) have a Cami-Nate date! – I know we still can get together – it just won’t be as easy –

-Ginger – when I needed someone she was there – even though we didn’t know each other very well at the time – I knew she genuinely cared about me and Bean when I was pregnant and Andrew was deployed – with my family being so far away, she didn’t hesitate when I asked her to be my birthing coach – what she did for us was so wonderful – she’s such an incredible person and I feel lucky to have her as a friend – I will miss being able to go to lunch with her every other week and just having her a 20 minute car ride away from a laugh/cry/chat/dinner together-

-Work people – Ike, Paul Rea, Karen – you have all meant so very much to me and it will be hard not to want to call and talk to you everyday

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It’s hard for me not to think about everything and get tears (but those of you who know me know if I DIDN’T cry something would be wrong) but I know this is not really goodbye.  It’s just see you later, talk to you soon or signing off from Savannah until the next time…

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