A rare gem. This is the only way I can describe my beautiful friend, Cara.
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She knew I was having a rough week, with the anniversary of Pop's death and that my emotions kinda hit me like a ton of bricks this week. Even though she knew I would be busy for several hours on Saturday with a fundraiser for my church moms group, she decided that she'd load the kids up and make the 5 hour drive (plus stops) to visit us this weekend. She mentioned it Monday afternoon when I was venting a little about how I was feeling and that it is hard to believe it's already been a year and I've barely cried, though my heart feels physically bruised from the loss. She said, you know, we have some extra money and I could use it to pay for gas for a trip down this weekend....
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And there wasn't a more touching thing she could have done. But, she tried. Yesterday, while Adam and I had her daughter and our older one at the kids fair, she put little A down for a nap, cleaned my kitchen and folded mountains of our laundry. I can't tell you the overwhelming gratitude I felt when I came home and the mess in the kitchen was gone (I'd baked all day Friday and was cleaning as I went, but she cleared the counters! and scrubbed the sinks!) and the laundry that's been haunting me for weeks from within baskets (the physical therapist told me no folding laundry because the repetitive motion is causing swelling in my shoulder, so I am not healing) was folded neatly in piles on the loveseat and on my bed. She even washed the laundry that I had sorted to finish this weekend myself.
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I can't ever adequately thank her for her help this weekend. I wish she lived closer, not because I want her to do my laundry or clean my kitchen, but because just when she was here, I felt a peace that's hard to come by for me lately. An unconditional love and support that extends farther than I'd known.
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She arrived late Friday night and we stayed up past even later to chat and enjoy the quiet of the night. I was rushed the next morning in my efforts to gather my things and get out of here to help set up. I had a brief time when I was able to enjoy the fair with her and the kids before I had to report back to work at our booth. Then I came home and went in my bedroom and wept when I realized how much work she'd done - against my will (I had no idea). We loaded the kids into the van and headed to the pool for a couple hours in the late afternoon. How nice it was just to see the kids playing together (it'll be even more fun in a couple weeks when D joins them!). Cara was able to meet our friends here in the neighborhood, since they were also at the pool.
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We came home and I made an easy dinner and we were barely staying awake at 10:15, so we headed to early bed. And then the thunderstorms started rolling through about 2 am. And then at 5:30, the smoke detector went off (for no apparent reason). The morning came quickly and breakfast was finished too soon. Storytime was too short, it was time to say "See you soon". Soon isn't usually soon enough, but THIS time, soon is just as it should be - soon. And I can't tell you how happy I am to have had a day with my friend.
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Thank you, from the deepest part of my heart. I love you, Cara.
