Friends Forever

This past Saturday I helped host a baby shower for one of my dearest friends.

We celebrated little Henry, Erin's second son.

Erin and I have been friends for as long as I can remember.
In fact, I really can't remember my life without her.
Really she is far more than a friend, she is the little sister I never had.
I love her.

Our friendship exists because of these 2 lovely ladies.

My mom and Cathy have also been friends for as long as I can remember.
When Cathy moved to Fallbrook she was a young Marine wife and didn't know a soul.
She met my mom at church and soon she would come over to my parents' house, sit on the couch, and watch the chaos of a family with 4 kids unfold around her.
After a while, she was sitting on the couch in labor with Erin, her first born.
She was in labor with Erin for a while, just sitting on my parents' couch and waiting.
Eventually she went to the hospital and Erin was bron.
Cathy and my mom have been best friends ever since.
Their friendship is responsible for this group.

We love each other.
Cathy is my second mom.
Cathy was who I called when I was 13 and needed someone to take a tick off my dog.
And Cathy called our house when her husband Ed was overseas with the Marines, and she heard strange noises on her roof in the middle of the night.
It was a raccoon. 
Erin was in my wedding.
Cathy has been at the births of each of my children.
She was Kristen's coach for both of her boys.
Cathy and and my Mom maintained their friendship when Cathy and her family moved to 29 Palms, Virginia, Washington, and back to Fallbrook.
Erin rubbed my back while I was in labor with James and David, and I rubbed hers while she labored with Zeke.
Cathy and my mom made it through all 6 of their kids teen years together--with much laughter and many tears, I'm sure.
My mom was there when Erin gave birth to both her sons.
Erin remembers my sister as a teenager, laying on the floor, talking on the phone, as any little sister would remember her big sister.
Their family lived with ours for a while.
We have watched each other grow up, celebrated weddings and births, and stood have by one another through some very hard times.
We know we will always be there for each other.
NO. MATTER. WHAT.

 The other thing we know is that there will always be laughter.

We crack each other up.
When you have 30 + years of history together, there is a lot to laugh about.
No one else may get all the jokes, but that doesn't really matter.
Having a group of women I can cry with, be silent with, pray with, be honest with, and laugh out loud with is an incredibly special gift.
I love them all so much.

And these two, well I love them heaps and heaps.
Lilly is named after both of them.
Lillian Catherine.
They're the best.

"A faithful friend is a strong defense; 

And he that hath found him 

hath found a treasure.” 

 Louisa May Alcott

Mom, Cathy, Kristen, Erin, I am forever grateful that we are friends forever.

Thank you for being part of my life.

Love from,

Greta

PS.  There's more about Henry's shower over at Picnics.  And lots more fun pictures from the photo booth (lots) over here.

I'm Shamelessly Proud of My Man

Aaron had his art show opening on Thursday night.

If you don't follow along on Picnics In the Park, you might not have known about it.

With my limited postings these days, I don't think I mentioned it here.

I posted a bit about it on Picnics last week.

Despite my limited mentions of it, the show was the biggest thing going on over here for quite a while.

Every night after dinner, Aaron would brew a pot of espresso, do a little before bed wrestling and reading of stories, kiss the kids goodnight, and then I'd push him outside to his studio.

I took over bedtime, and many nights fell asleep cuddling with someone or another.

When I'd wake up sometimes a half hour, or several hours later, Aaron was always in the studio, painting away.

The most fun part of it all was that every morning there would be something new for me to see.

With each new painting he'd be more excited for the next one.

It was incredibly wonderful to see his passion for painting coming back to life.

But, in spite of his renewed passion, he'd wonder on occasion if his paintings were any good.

Were they "art'?

Would anyone take him seriously?

I tried to remind him that he couldn't paint anything other than what was in him.

After all, when you try to be someone other than yourself it's obvious.

Besides, I love who Aaron is, and I love that who he is comes out in his art.

I know some people just don't get a painting of a trailer, sunglasses, or a beach with a rocket ship sitting on it.

I know some people like Thomas Kinkade, or Wyland.

We all have different ideas of what makes up "real" art.

But trailers, sunglasses, and rocket ships are all Aaron.

And so he went with what he loved.

And the paintings kept coming.

As the show date grew closer, there were days when I knew he felt a little bit nervous.

Putting your art out for the world to see is a way of exposing yourself.

It is making yourself vulnerable.

I was confident that the night, and the show, would be really wonderful.

But I wasn't the one putting my art up on the walls.

So all I could do was offer encouragement and assurances that it would be wonderful.

Of course, it was wonderful.

Really wonderful.

So many friends and family showed up to support Aaron.

He was touched.

And very grateful.

The whole night he had a grin on his face.
And I knew how happy he was to be there.
I knew he was happy that he had made the time to paint.
I knew he was happy with his paintings and that people were enjoying them.
That was the best part of the night for me-- to see the man I love so happy.

When Aaron is feeling especially happy he likes to give speeches.
Good thing he is an artist, otherwise he might have pursued a career in politics!
He gave a little speech that night to some of the people at the show.
It was sweet, and real, and from his heart.
I can think of other times he's made speeches, always when his heart is full and he just has to share what's in there.
I love that about him.

At the end of the night he was exhausted and exhilarated.
And I was so proud of him.
I don't say often enough how much I think of my husband.
I speak of the kids always, their creativity, their sweetness, and how much fun they are.
Much of that comes from their Daddy.
He infuses our home and our lives with all those things.
He works a lot.
All day, all week, all year.
Not a lot of vacation days.
His evenings and weekends are not spent pursuing his own "things".
(well, except for the Craig's List hunts for a vintage trailer....)
He doesn't sit on the couch watching football games and telling the kids to leave him alone.
Instead he wakes up early on Saturdays to take them to the skate park.
He is always working on a house project, detailing my car for me, or helping out with baseball practice.
In short, he lives his life to take care of all of us.

But he has this part of him that longs to make things.
Where, though, does one find the time to make things when one works full time, is a husband and a father of 4?

We all know, whether you have 1 kid, 5 kids or no kids, a full time job, or a part time job, life is busy.

It is hard to make time for the things you love to do.

But he did it.
He made the time.
It was a sacrifice, of course.
Our garage and yard can attest to that.
He followed the passion in his heart and made things.
He made cool things, just like he wanted to.
And yes, I am shamelessly, ridiculously, enormously proud of him for it.

You did it, Aaron.

It was wonderful.

And so are you.

Here's to lots more late nights, art shows, and happy speeches.

I love you.

Love from,

Greta

*Thanks to the people who took pictures of the show.  I was so busy talking that I hardly took any.  I'm glad there are some to document the night.

PS.  When was the last time you bragged about your man?  
Or woman, or mom, or dad, or best friend?  
You know, someone besides your kid.

You should try it.

Call them up and tell them, or write a note, send them flowers, write a blog post, a Facebook post, or paint them a picture.

I often think of this post, and how easy it is to let time pass and never tell the people we love how much they mean to us.

Do it, friends, before it is too late.

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to tell the people in your life that they matter.

I hope you will.
I know they'll love hearing it.

Another Party Ends, Another Year Begins

Before we knew it, it was time for cupcakes.We couldn't get the candles lit, so we told the boys to blow out their pretend candles.

William fell for it. James didn't.

6 is so wise.Cupcakes were, by far, Lilly's favorite part. I don't know how many she ate._____________________________

Birthdays make me melancholy. I can't help but feel a tugging at my heart as I see them growing another year older. One day, the week before the party, I was reading the newest issue of Martha Stewart Living. There was an article about a graduation party. It was by one of the food editors, for her son, graduating from college.

And as I was reading it, it hit me hard:

today a Star Wars party, tomorrow a graduation party.

The days are flying by.

They will never again be 1, 3 and 5.

For now we are (almost) 2, 4 and 6.

It's a race.

And my heart wants them to stay back at the starting line but they can only think about the finish line.

Parenting. It isn't easy.

It's amazing and sweet and wonderful.

But it isn't easy.

Don't grow up too fast my dears. I'd like you to stay little, to run around in your underwear and ask me to cuddle with you at night, for just a little bit longer, OK?

And remember, you'll always be my babies.

Love from,

Mommy

A Star Wars Birthday Party Part 2: Battling Darth Vader and the Storm Troopers

After their training with the Jedi Masters and on the obstacle course, the young jedis got a chance to practice their skills with one another.

Little did they know their greatest challenge was lurking just around the corner.
Attack!!!! How many jedis can fight Darth Vader at once?
It's a wonder he made it out of there alive. Even with his Storm Trooper's protection.

William bravely took on Darth by himself and when Vader admitted to William that he is his father and then asked him to join the dark side, William proudly said, "I will never join you on the dark side, Darth Vader!"

He loved every minute of it.

After their battle with the forces of the dark side, the jedis were tired. So they retired to the Ewok forest and tanked up with some snacks.

But their troubles were not over. Now they had to battle the Storm Troopers, Ewok style!
That meant hurling paper "rocks" at the Storm Troopers while dodging the rocks being thrown at them and the laser guns being shot at them.

It was a total blast.

Finally they took the Storm Troopers down and the galaxy was safe once more from the evil forces of the Imperial army.

Last birthday post tomorrow and then it is time to move on!

Love form,

Greta