horses and heartache

For convenience sake, I am combining the last two days...
4.20.10

My dear friend April invited us over to her house for a lovely patio lunch.  Ariana loves horses so April let us come before the other guests and took us to the stables to see all the horses and feed them carrots and peppermints. After lunch she let Ariana collect eggs from the chicken coop. Both activities I would never voluntarily do, it's a good thing Ariana has April {& Mom to help her with the chicken eggs, yuck.}! The lunch was delicious and it was fun to visit with my friends and have Mom with me.

4.21.10
On our very last day together Mom taught me how to make homemade bread. A few months ago I tried to teach myself and it was nothing short of disaster, so this time around I was happy to have her expertise! It came out beautifully! We shared hot bread together before it was time to drive to the airport. A great way to end a wonderful visit.

I drove her to the airport that afternoon and to say that we were both a tad melancholy is acutely accurate. When it was time to say goodbye we hugged extra long and cried a little bit. Ariana had fallen asleep in the car and as I drove home I cried a little more.

It's funny to think of the progression of our relationship. Over the past few years it's morphed into a stronger friendship, I am so grateful for that. As a kid she was the Mommy who snuggled me and wrote notes on the napkins she put in my brown bag lunches. As a teenager she was the Mom who had to know "when, what, where & who?" and told me, "You could argue with a fence post!" {sorry about that one, Mom}. And now, as whatever I am, she's become my best friend, my shoulder to cry on, my outlet, my confidant, my go-to, my foundation and my example. I love it.

There's nothing like a week of having your Mama all to yourself... can't wait until next time!