Oh My Goodness

Humungous news.

Last Wednesday afternoon I’m hanging out at home, minding my own business. The kids are watching their third cartoon while I’m making dinner (refreshing my browser repeatedly in hopes that someone has updated her Facebook status) and all of a sudden I hear screaming in the living room. I figure it’s just a spider so I stay focused on Facebook. However, the screaming continues, so I reluctantly decide to investigate. I dutifully walk into the living room and . . .

SISTER IS STANDING ON MY RUG.

SISTER IS IN MY LIVING ROOM.

SISTER IS HOME FROM AFRICA.

SHE SURPRISED US.

SISTER IS HOME.

And so I don’t even really know where to start.

Since she got home on Wednesday, we’ve been celebrating and talking and squeezing each other and talking and talking and ceaselessly talking. We’ve been planning and jumping up and down a lot and squealing at Husband and Boyfriend, to whom I have received formal permission to introduce you. I’ll give you the skinny on John later, but for now all you need to know is that he is loveable and brilliant and patient and fun, fun, fun . . . and that Sister becomes even more Sistery around him. She gets even shinier which is just almost ridiculous. He is good, She is good. They are good. God is good.

You should also be warned that if you meet John, you will want to keep a safe distance. Tish fell in love with John the first time she met him, and has since referred to him as “my boyfriend, Johnny.” And she’s definitely the jealous type. She once knocked Amma over for trying to sit next to him. You’ve been warned.

Bubba, Tisha, Sister, John, and I went to my cousin’s wedding in Ohio this past weekend. I got to see my Sister hug my parents for the first time since leaving for Africa and I just thought we all might explode.

And then, at Allison’s wedding, we danced. All of us, Sister and Tisha and Bubba and me . . . all my cousins and aunts and uncles. . . John, too . . . we danced for five hours. There’s a reason Jesus says heaven is like a wedding. Because what else can heaven be but all the people you love in one place with nothing else to do except drink wine and laugh and celebrate love and hope and family. And also do the Chicken Dance and the Stanky Leg. I’ve never been so happy. I’ve also never been so ridiculous. For example:

There are many more unfortunate pictures to come, promise. Let’s just say there was some table dancing. For now, I’ll assume that this shot gives you enough of an idea about how the night went down.

In other news . . . Tuesday was Chase’s first day of second grade and all went smoothly.

The only two teeny problems were that Amma became hysterical that her brother had left her and Chase was humiliated that we were the only family wearing our pajamas at the bus stop.

When we got there, he whispered, “SEE, MOM, nobody else is wearing pjs. I told you.” And I whispered back, “How do you know??? Maybe they just sleep really fancy.” And he gave me this look.

I get this look a LOT. This look of Chase’s means: You’re embarrassing, mom, but I know you’re doing the best you can. And you’re funny.” I love this look. And I love this boy. He is his dad. . . in his face and in his heart. God, I’m a lucky girl.

Also, yesterday was Craig and my eighth anniversary. Nana came over to stay with the kids while we went out and talked for hours over dinner. The outcome of our State of the Marriage conversation is that: We continue to have no idea what we're doing . . . and that continues to be okay. Life is good. Hard, but good. God is good. And all will be well. We decided to love each other the best we can for another year. Then we came home and made out. Good stuff.

Now it’s five am and my Sister will be back on my doorstep in five short hours so I must go and make lists of things we will be discussing today. Sister and I have always believed that we are just a few cups of coffee and uninterrupted hours away from saving the universe . . . so we’ll be working on that.

In addition to universe saving, today there will be make-up shopping and a field trip with the girls and lots of squeezing hands and I can’t believe you’re heres and I love you, Sisters and please don't leave agains. And I’m sure they’ll also be plenty of debate about What’s Next For My Hair.

I love my Sister.

Love you, too.

G