Friday Favorites

I should be folding laundry, but when I get an urge to blog, whats a girl to do?  Besides I did clean out the fridge, the pantry and the bathroom cabinets today.  I deserve a bloggy break I think.  :)

Since it's Friday, I thought I'd recap a few of my favorite moments of the week.

I love that I love my inlaws.  My mother-in-law, Anne, came to visit a few days ago.  It was so good to spend some time with her as we don't get to do that often!  At one point, though she and Jon went to run some errands.  I found myself looking out the front window at the "magic hour" and saw a tractor (I don't know the technical name of this particular one - they're all tractors according to my kids - and me!) across the street. 

 It looks like I edited it a bit, and I did a little, but the sky was really that blue and the sun was shining so brightly on the tractor as it was setting.  The colors were so bright and intense.  It was a beautiful evening.

After getting home from an appointment Tuesday, with my bag still in hand, I walked straight from my car to the backyard to start watering the lawn.  As I did a swarm (seriously, swarm!) of dragonflies flew up into the air.  It was really quite startling, yet somewhat beautiful to see them fly up together.  There was one, though, that was asking for his picture to be taken.  He landed on my bag, just thrown down on the lawn so I could capture some of these amazing bugs, and  I don't know if he saw his reflection or what, but he was a good subject while letting me take his pictures.  But then I couldn't get him to fly away once I was done!  It downgraded his neat status to kind of creepy until I could get him to fly away.  

I took the kids to the train tracks earlier this week.  We've been there plenty of times before, but it's always an adventure to watch the trains.  We have a walking bridge that goes over them and I was hoping to catch one while it was going by, but we had no such luck that day.  It was an adventure anyway as we walked up high above the tracks and looked safely down and across our small downtown shops and restaurants.

Look closely.  Can you see me?

We left to play at a park and Jon met us there before we left for dinner.

I saved the best for last, though.  We leave for California in less than two weeks for surgery.  Unfortunately my 30th birthday lands 9 days after the actual surgery date and while we're still out there.  I expect I'll be miserable and missing home. 

After coming home on Tuesday (the same day I took pictures of dragonfly) my dear friend, Tammy, asked if she could go to dinner with me since I wouldn't see her again until after surgery.  We arrived at one of my favorite restaurants.  We sat down and began looking over the menu... and looking, and looking and looking... Tammy could NOT decide what to order.  I didn't think much about it at first, but after the waitress asked the 4th time if we were ready and she said no, I wasn't sure what to think... until our spouses and other friends showed up unexpectedly.  I was confused until Happy Birthdays were said and gifts were given as they showed up. 

It was a WONDERFUL surprise and left me feeling loved and special.  It was a great night together with my friends. 

I stole this picture from my friend's facebook.  Thanks, Tammy!  :)

Thank you, Jon, for planning and Tod, Tammy, Matt, Shelly, and Bill for coming to celebrate with me (Jen, we missed you.  :(  I wish you were there to celebrate with us, too!).  It really meant a lot.

I also wanted say thank you to real and bloggy friends for your kind words lately.  I've so appreciated it and it gives me encouragement and peace as I get ready to go.  Only 9 more days until we leave! 

 I'm linking up today with Rachel at Finding Joy for her Friday Favorites.  :)