How do you measure wealth? Is it by the amount of savings you have in your bank account or rather the number of long and lasting friends you can turn to at the end of the day? I believe it's the latter and, boy, did I feel rich this week.
My oldest friend in the world came to visit me from Canada with her husband and two children. I've known her since I sat next to her in the fourth grade at St. Leon's public Catholic School in Westmount, Quebec. (The same grade that Jack will be entering in September.) I started playing with her eraser and she was too shy to tell me that it bugged her. But I think our friendship was really cemented when we sat together at the back of the church (every first Friday of the month) for two years, watching the rest of the class take communion. Apparently, our parents had failed to help us get our "first communion" in a timely matter and we were, as a result, most assuredly going to hell. The gateway starting with the humiliation of being singled out as nonbelievers (yet still having to do confession). Boy, did we say a lot of Hail Mary's. Ultimately, our potential damnation was swept under the rug and we were post haste communed by a stranger priest so that we could be "confirmed" with the rest of our sixth-grade class. I vaguely remember the light blue knit mini skirt I wore for the occasion (with matching top) and the orange knee-high socks I paired my ensemble with... Go figure. (I couldn't dress myself back then and I still can't now!)
We've never lost touch and since Jack and her sons have been born, we've always tried to get together once a year. (Mostly me visiting them up in Canada.) It turns out that her oldest boy was born on our wedding anniverssary and Jack was born on theirs! How Karmic is that?
It was great to hang out with her. The boys adored and engaged Makena and it was one big laugh fest. I played tour guide and took her family (along with mine) to Hollywood tourist destinations and booked Jack and her sons for three days of surf camp.
Makena, as expected, wanted to take part in it too.
The week flew by and it really was a great way to kick off the summer.
I can't believe they are gone!
Is - still Canadian
We purchased a wet suit for her so that she wouldn't freeze and because the idea of stepping foot on the sand and not going into the water is something that she does not comprehend. 
So we let her splash around in the surf.
But watching her brother and his friends boogy board was an extremely frustrating exercise. Nevertheless, she observed them for a while...
And then she figured out that if she laid flat on her stomach, she could wait for the perfect wave!
It takes a certain amount of self-confidence to be able to wear such a loud (albeit, patriotic,) hat. Jack wore his spangled sombrero proudly as he cruised the lake. His dad spent most of the day dragging him, and some of our friends, in an inner tube and they all had a blast. While this was going on, I was up in the house with Makena. I know that, had she seen Jack tearing across the water, she would have wanted to do the same. 
At the end of the day, we had the best viewing for the fireworks: right from the middle of the lake. Sometimes it seemed like the flurry of sparkles was raining down right over us. It was excellent. It felt like our own private show (We were one of probably a couple hundred boats on the water.) We took Makena. I was a bit concerned that she might freak out about the noise and the lights, but she didn't. She rallied and although she was cautious at first, by the end of the fireworks show, she had added "wow" to her vocabulary. 
How do you measure wealth? Is it by the amount of savings you have in your bank account or rather the number of long and lasting friends you can turn to at the end of the day? I believe it's the latter and, boy, did I feel rich this week. 
We've never lost touch and since Jack and her sons have been born, we've always tried to get together once a year. (Mostly me visiting them up in Canada.) It turns out that her oldest boy was born on our wedding anniverssary and Jack was born on theirs! How Karmic is that?
It was great to hang out with her. The boys adored and engaged Makena and it was one big laugh fest. I played tour guide and took her family (along with mine) to Hollywood tourist destinations and booked Jack and her sons for three days of surf camp.
The week flew by and it really was a great way to kick off the summer.
