This is a summer of weddings for us and we happily flew to Iowa last week to attend the wedding of a lovely young couple. Kayla was the one who took care of our cats for years when we traveled and she sweetly invited us to her wedding. It was the first time we had made a trip back to Iowa since we moved almost 7 years ago.
It was the sweetest wedding ever and we were so happy to be able to share with Kayla and Chad on their very special day. Years ago I had made mugs with Buddy and Holly’s pictures on them and given one to her as a thank you. When she introduced us to her new husband she said “you know–the mug!! The people who owned the kitties from the mug!”. Don’t you love that I am known all over for my love of cats?
Of course because it is me I wanted to try to fit in as many visits along the way as possible and my husband is such a great guy and agreed to my somewhat crazy schedule. First up — meet up with Jeni from JeniEats who now lives in Minnesota. We met at our hotel so her adorable little daughter could run around and it was so wonderful to be with her and her husband and finally see that little one . My heart was so full and we spent 90 minutes or so catching up, eating together and running after an active toddler. Perfect.
Next up was a stop in Faribault to meet up with Audrey of Minnesota Prairie Roots and her husband, Randy. We met at a Caribou Coffee (they really do have pretty wonderful coffee there) and had a wonderful time catching up in person. That’s the beauty of friendships like ours — we keep in touch but when we get together in person it is even more wonderful. No time has passed and we pick up talking about all of the things that matter most to us. What a treat it is to have lifelong friends who “get you”.
Final meetup ended up to be in Clear Lake on Sunday morning. It was the only time I could allow for my North Iowa Blogger friends but I was happy that two of them could make it. We met at the Clear Lake Park and had some Lion’s Club BBQ Chicken and it was fabulous! So my friend, Laura, who blogs at Cat Tales with Laura and Mary who blogs on her personal page here and for her business at Natural Plus Nursery here met us in the park and we had a wonderful time catching up as well. Mary brought her husband and her two kiddos that I have never met and we all shared what is going on in our lives. It was, again, wonderful.
7 years have come and gone but these friendships, my friends, are what makes my heart happy. Each of these ladies (and many more that could not make a meet up) has made a significant impact on my life in ways they don’t even know. So from the bottom of my heart I thank them for being there for me and making the time to meet up. I am blessed.
