It Was Better and Better

Have you ever had one of those weekends that starts off great and just keeps getting better and better and better? (And yes, I can still call it the beginning of a weekend even when it starts on Wednesday night.) Last Wednesday Hubby and I took off for a long Easter weekend in Missouri. Our destination was the city of Columbia where we used to live for 10 years. Our son was just a wee little one year old when we moved there and our daughter was born there. Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, the memories, oh the memories. They flood back when we are back in the town where the kids were tiny.

On Thursday, I started the best weekend ever by out hanging out at the mall and at the Panera where I first learned to love to hang out at Panera. I used to go there on my nights "off" as a young mom. I remember reveling in the no-little-one quiet and read and read and filled up on Diet Coke. I used that time to re-charge. (Trivia: Panera used to be called St. Louis Bread Company. That's what it was called when I first started going there.) (Columbia is officially an awesome town in my book because they don't just have ONE Panera, but THREE!) While I was in Panera I silently prayed, "God, it would be cool if I could see someone I know." And can you believe that just two minutes later an old friend walked in? So incredibly cool!

Every day we spent in Columbia was just as good as the previous one. We were blessed to be able to connect with several old friends. Pizza with the the son of some dear friends. A four hour lunch with a couple I consider our mentors. Good Friday Service at a new church in town was very moving. A five hour supper with friends who we used to exchange babysitting with. (Our kids have so many great memories of playing at their house.) Meals at good, interesting restaurants. (Including a restaurant that a former co-worker of my hubby's owns.) Sunday Easter service at the church where we used to worship. (So good to see some familiar faces!)

Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day and we celebrated Hubby's birthday by spending some time at a beautiful garden in town. We used to go there and let the kids run off their energy.

They've added some cute little statues all over the place.

Seeing the new green plants all over the place was just lovely.

Ahhh.... so peaceful...

We both remember watching our first-born walking some of his first steps on these pebbled embedded walkways.

We drove home with full hearts.