Reconnections

Papa and the girls for his birthday cake moment.

The downside of Portland is that we miss our friends horribly. But, this week has provided a bit of consolation as we've spent the better part of the week re-connecting with old friends.


Last Friday, we had dinner with a friend from high school and his wife. Good conversation with smart people. We loved it and kept them up way too late. On Sunday, Curtis golfed with a high school buddy who was in town visiting from L.A. Later Sunday, we had dinner with one of my college roommates and her family, and it was wonderful to catch up and watch our kids chase and play.


On Wednesday, we hosted dinner for another high school friend who was here from Dallas with his wife and kids, along with the aforementioned buddy who was still in town visiting. And the dinner included the parents of both friends and Curtis' parents, who sat together through four years of football and basketball and baseball games back in the boys' Glory Days. It was pure chaos with sixteen people here, but well worth it to watch these former teammates trade conversation about diapers and politics and life.

On Thursday, I met up with one of my very oldest friends (since the second grade!) for coffee and the chance to meet her beautiful little baby. That night, we had my dad (mom is out of town for a wedding) over for dinner for his birthday, and my parents' friends (our former next-door neighbors growing up) were able to join us, too. A great celebration. I'm positive that the girls' excitement for the cake was triple that of the actual birthday celebrant!

And that brings me to Friday, a visit with a high school friend and her sweet kids. Tromping to the park, watching ducks, marveling at a fuzzy caterpillar crossing the sidewalk. Reconnecting is wonderful.

It doesn't lessen our sadness, it doesn't replace that hole in our hearts we feel because of the absence of our Bay Area friends. But, it does provide a glimmer of hope that one day, our Portland life will be as full as it once was in Pleasanton.