It has been almost a month ago since I fulfilled a promise to both myself and my friend Nicole. When she left Georgia to move to Arizona last August, I promised to come visit. I promised to bring my sweet baby girl with me so they could meet each other since Nicole would miss her birth by just a few days. If I can be honest for a second, I normally don't follow through with promises like this. Sure, in the heat of the moment, in the days when your best friend is packing up to move clear across the country, promises are thrown around. We promised we would FaceTime, we said our kids could be pen pals, I promised to come visit in the Spring. Considering we never FaceTimed and our kids never wrote a single letter to each other, I told myself I had better make that trip happen.
On April 9th, Khloe and I headed to the airport to fly to Phoenix. I was so nervous about having her on the plane. I just kept praying she wouldn't be that baby that screamed the whole time. And thank the Lord, she wasn't. Considering I woke her up at 5am to head to the airport, she slept just about the entire flight. When she did wake up, she was as happy as could be.
She slept and I read. The perfect combination.
Nicole was waiting for me at Baggage Claim and although I was forever away from home, I felt at home just as soon as I saw her face. What is so crazy about this girl is that I haven't known her that long. It seems like most times, "best friends" have known each other for forever. We just met about 3 years ago. And even though our lives are so different, we are just the same. We are Mommas, we are wives, we are girls who need a friend. We struggle, we have triumphs, we text each other when we make the worst parenting mistakes ever. She is one I can rely to understand why I give my kids melatonin at nap time sometimes so I can regain my sanity. She has answered countless (and sometimes ridiculous) homeschooling questions over and over and over again. We have brought each other Starbucks in the middle of the day so the other one doesn't have to get out. Our friendship has just clicked. And I thank God for her and her sweet family every day.
Wow. That was mushy and gross and I really didn't mean to go there. But I did.
So where was I? Airport, then breakfast at her very favorite spot.
Seriously, the best vanilla latte I have ever had.
I really just spent the next few days stepping into her life in Arizona.
We shuffled the kids around school.
We climbed a mountain, which was one of the most liberating things I have ever done in my entire life. Everyone should conquer a mountain, even if you do stop at Quitter's Point and go to Chipolte.
She showed me around her town, which is so beautiful! And took me to the Farmer's Market.
(First time meeting my Aunt Ruth who lives in Arizona too!)
We talked and talked and ate guacamole and talked and ate some more guacamole on her patio. We watched Jeopardy and answered all the questions wrong. I got to smooch all over her babies while she got to smooch all over mine. We even planted two plants in her backyard, Lord I hope they are still alive. We ate good food and the best yogurt I have ever had.
Other than spending nearly two days at the airport to get home, the trip was practically the best.
It was nothing fancy, which made it perfect. Just getting to be a part of the Pope's everyday life was exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to see where Josie went to school, their cute little neighborhood, their favorite spot for ice cream. And that is just what we did.
P.S. Next time, we will fly on a regular ticket.
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