a random smattering of updates

I don't have much time to write today because I have legitimate work-related tasks to attend to (what?!?) but here are some Groundhog's day updates!

For starters, isn't it funny how irrelevant the concept of Groundhog's day is now that we're not in elementary school? It's very sad. That poor Punxsutawney gets no more face time. I heard he gave some bad news today anyway so, what does he know.

BUT!

1. My best friend in the whole universe was born on this glorious day! Happy birthday to my Ab! We met in the third grade and were friends through elementary school, middle school, high school, and colleges states apart. She was the maid of honor in my wedding and I will be hers this July. We are best friends, soul mates, kindred spirits for life. I wish that everyone had the chance to have a friendship as rewarding and fulfilling as the one that Abby and I share. It's truly a unique blessing and I think it's really a rarity in this life.

photo by Give & Take Pictures

 Let's take a minute to admire her gorgeous, all natural, fiery locks. What a beaut.

during her speech at our wedding. feel the love. \\ photo by Give & Take Pictures

 I am so thankful to her parents and to the Lord for bringing this 

wonderful woman into my life to stay.

Happy birthday Abby.

2. I will intersperse the two items of good news with just one tiny piece of bad news. Remember the Pilates class I was so excited to take? Well it turns out that it's kind of geared toward the elderly. The woman who teaches it is in her fifties (which doesn't mean anything!) and the class is not as intense as I was hoping. Will referred to it as "geriatric stretching." Yeah. Not really what I'm into.

But after I asked the rec director about it, he said, "if you want to go and get certified to teach Pilates and get paid for doing your work out, I would love to offer a higher level class!"

Hmmm. She ponders. Could this be a possibility? We'll see.

3. Remember how I mentioned that the Aussies were coming this summer? As much as we were excited beyond belief to see the fam, we were nearly certain that because of work/time off, our cousin Tyson and his wonderful wife Dayna wouldn't be able to come in June. Here's the brief on our relationship with them:

Will's cousin Emma, her husband Ben & baby Chloe, Aunt Patti & Uncle Wolfgang, Tyson & Dayna.

- Will and Tyson, although also cousins, have been the best of friends for a long time. Very very close.

- Tyson and his fam visited the states a lot growing up, and he even spent some time living over here with family members.

- Will also took a year off after high school and spent time living in Sydney with Tyson's fam.

- During this time in 2007, Tyson met Dayna and they began dating. Tyson, Dayna and Will were all working together at the time, so Will had a front row seat from the very beginning.

- Tyson and Dayna were married in 2008 and Will was the best man.

- One year later, they visited Philadelphia and met Will's new girlfriend they'd heard so much about. I was petrified knowing that these were basically the most important people in his life, so I hoped they'd like me!

- In less than one week, we hit it off magically :)

- I studied in Australia six months later in 2010 and shared Easter week and the last week of my stay with them. This is where my individual friendship with them began to grow and deepen. 

- They came to visit the states in the summer of 2010 and spent more time with... just me :) Will was sadly in Romania.

- They had a BABY in May 2011! Dear, beautiful baby Quinn! How could we not have been there?! Tragic. Tears were shed of joy and aching sadness.

- We got married in 2011, but with Quinn being so little, the doctors wouldn't let them fly over. More tragedy and tears.

- To this day, they are the soul-friend-couple who we want to live next door to and raise children alongside. We miss them to the point of tears. Regularly.

Through all of this, our friendship hasn't changed a bit. I was blessed to see them three times in 2010, but zero times in 2011. Will hasn't seen them since 2009 when I first met Tyson and Dayna. Crazy! Needless to say, we were so bummed that we wouldn't be seeing them this summer.

Until Will got a phone call from an unknown number yesterday. Upon answering he heard, "Hey mate! How ya going?" and nearly collapsed to the ground. Tyson was calling! Because of the ridiculous time change, conflicting schedules and our lack of internet access, we haven't talk to them since August! I know, it's so stupid and lame. But Will, jumping out of his skin, yelling and pacing around on the phone, learned the news that would make our year.

Will: "Tys, this phone call is the best surprise I've had all year!"

Tyson: "Well it's about to get better... what are you doing February 19th through the 26th?"

{silence}

We're hosting the little Aussie fam at OUR HOUSE.

In 17 DAYS.

Our first time to meet that baby girl.

Excitement beyond belief.

We cried. Obviously.

That is all.

:D