Unexpected Gifts.

My sweet friend, Lori, gave me a wonderful and priceless gift on last Thursday night.  Kevin was out of town and our kids wanted a sleep over, so she volunteered her house.

Oh, Glory!!  A whole night to myself?  Alone?  I haven't had that my early 20's!!

At first I was going to say no, let's have it at my house.  But, my husband said I was being crazy and that I should take the gift.

I did.

Well, kind of.  I did stay at Lori's house sitting on her back porch drinking wine and lighting sparklers for our children.  And we talked and laughed and imbibed.  And her husband brought us the most luscious cheesecake I have ever tasted.  We ate it down to the aluminum pie tin!!!

And then.....I kissed my girls and drove home.  I got home at 11:00 and ran a bath.  At first I was afraid of all the silence.  And being alone.  But.....I grabbed my banjo (yes....I play the banjo) and practiced while the bath ran.  And then I gave myself a facial and soaked.  After the bath, I read a magazine and then slid into bed a little after midnight.

I slept in until 8:00.  Wow!!!!  It was so beautifully wonderful to sleep until I actually woke up.....not to an alarm or kids jumping on me or a cat pawing at my face to be fed.......I slept until I woke up.

I got up, made coffee, sat on the screened in porch and read my bible and my favorite magazine for an hour.  I think I closed my eyes for at least 15 minutes and just listened to the wind blow through the trees.  I was so relaxed.  Which was such a lovely, rare treat because there is very little about my life that is relaxing!  

I wandered around my yard and picked flowers that were blooming......I didn't even realized there WERE flowers blooming!!

Our little garden!

I guess I just didn't realize how fried I was.  Sometimes I feel like such a tightly wound up ball of dynamite getting ready to explode.  But on Friday morning......I was calm.  And ready to pick up the girls and let the chaos ensue!

So, thank you, Sweet Lori, for such a gift.  And to think I almost said no!

Never pass up a chance to give a gift.  You never know when it's needed more than you could imagine.  And never give up the chance to accept one.  Sometimes, you need it more than you think!