25 August 2008

hellos & goodbyes

mount baker - panoramic
Mount Baker {Whatcom County, Washington ... that's right, we went there!!}

I don't even know where to begin. Words fail me. I'm only beginning to process through my experience.


The past several days with these girls was nothing short of amazing. They really are extraordinary. Our time together was filled with laughter, smiles, tons of pictures, a few tears (mostly mine), lots and lots of talking, and plenty of key words and phrases to inspire raucous laughter. It was a slumber party in my basement every night: we stayed up until 4 a.m. talking (darn our need for sleep!!). I can't remember when I've had so much fun. I can't remember when I've ever felt more connected to any other human being on this planet, let alone three of them.

In short, God is up to something and we're not quite sure what it is. He showed up in surprising ways in our time together and we're all starting to think about, walk through, and ponder and process it in this new space.

In the midst of their time here, my family faced a sudden and unexpected loss. Slater (our cat, who you may also remember from here) had to be put to sleep due to kidney failure. When I picked up the girls on Wednesday, it was a "wait and see" situation; by Friday, the vet told us that there was little hope he could ever recover. So Mom, Kaari, and I went to the vet Friday morning to say our good-byes.

I was a mess.


But if I had to be a mess, I was thankful to be surrounded by some of the safest and most caring, empathetic people I know.



I've been sighing a lot since they left: missing their voices and looking for them to come up the stairs. It was hard to say goodbye. But we will meet again.


photos by kirsten.michelle
** see photos from our time together at
our flickr group pool. **

10 comments:

  1. I am so thrilled to hear that you had a such a magical time!

    It saddens my heart about your furry love! I am so very sorry!
    You have been in my thoughts and prayers.

    Come by and see the last installment of my mystery trip!
    Cheers!

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  2. Mmmmm . . . your words and these photos make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Most of all, it makes me MISS YOU!

    Hellos and goodbyes . . . so true. It's still breaking my heart that you lost Slater. But if I know one thing, I know that he was utterly loved.

    Love you.

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  3. That pic takes my breath away. And then I read the words, about Slater and all of us, and I see the other pics, and it's like I might as well not have any breath left for all it's being taken away.

    I miss you. I miss all of you.

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  4. It's wonderful to hear you ladies had such a wonderful time, even when it started out on a heavy note.

    Not too long ago I was blessed to have a similar reunion with 6 of my closest friends from high school as the last one was getting married. It is just simply speechless.

    Now I gotta go check out Christianne's video she made, or at least hack my way through the firewall first at work. 8^D

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  5. Love the pics!
    So, so sorry about your cat. I know how this feels. I still cry about having to put our dog to sleep, and that was ten years ago.
    I wonder sometimes, when God resurrects and restores the earth, will he re-use materials? In other words, will Slater and Buttons and Kelly be there?

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  6. I was thinking about your "love joy squeal fest" while I was away in Dominican Republic and praying it was fruitful, it sounds as if it really was. I am glad.

    Sorry about the cat though, that is never fun.

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  7. I'm so sorry about your cat.

    That first photo is amazing!

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  8. Great pics!

    (I gave you a little tag... something for a lazy Monday.)

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