Life is Good

We celebrated Ty's 30th birthday yesterday. We had over 20 dear friends come to Davis and sweat through a windless hot afternoon with us (a reminder that even if the second week of September is beautiful and breezy, fall doesn't really come to Davis until at least October!).

It's a little like a mini-wedding - everyone we love and want to catch up with, but so many people all at once we don't get to talk with anyone enough. But it was really exciting to have so many people with us at once - people from the last 10 (or more!) years of our lives - from family, school, college, post college, church, work...and all the spouses and kids (and strollers!) that have been added in over the years. It makes me a little weepy, I have to admit. I am sucker for a good picnic with friends.

We are really blessed to know an amazing bunch of people. I have been having this conversation a lot lately - that it's really hard to make good friends in the grown up world. We just don't have the opportunities to create the memories, trust, and intimate knowledge of each other that we had when we were younger - and that makes me so much more grateful for the friendships we have developed and held onto - however long distance - over the years. The friends we spent last evening with were all loving, supportive, fun people who have passions, great personalities, and good senses of humor to boot. We are really lucky to know you all.

Then this morning, we made it to church (amazing these days), and were overwhelmed (at least I was, still needing to introvert after all that community last night) by the dozens of people we wanted to say hello to on our way out. Given we were starving, we didn't stop for long, but I was reminded that humanity, after all, is pretty amazing. We know so many amazing people, and at church we often know them just enough to wish we knew them better. I will always hate the mob of people in the lobby as we leave, but now its dotted with faces that bring us joy and make me tempted to stay a few minutes (when I've had breakfast already).

In these pre-election days and all of their political commentary, and in the midst of the economic chaos and the struggles of so many countries, I have been pretty down on humanity. But this weekend reminded me there are really so many things to love about people. And we are really lucky to know so many people who are so lovable!