The McCullough Family: California: take 3

In September, I was gone for 20 days. Both of my trips were very unexpected. However, since July, I have had a trip to California on the calendar. That is because my long time bestie, Kristen, was turning 40 in October and her mother, Lynn, wanted to fly me out to be there as a surprise for her birthday weekend. I decided to extend my trip a bit and planned to be with my mother Sun-Thurs, then drive over to surprise Kristen and be with her Thurs- Sun.

But first, I would have a little surprise of my own...

I came home from California on Friday, knowing that the following week, on Sunday I would fly out again. So once again, I'm home for a little over a week. Maybe it was knowing that I would be returning again so soon, maybe it was knowing my mom wasn't hospitalized anymore, who knows what it was, but being home for this week was so much better than the last week I was home.

And on Wednesday morning, Brian got up to go to work. He said goodbye and went down for breakfast, as usual. I was still in bed, as usual. Next thing I knew, he was coming back into our room, keeping the lights off, and shutting the bathroom door where Macy was. I asked why he was shutting the door, and he quietly explained he didn't want macy to hear what he was about to say...

He then explained that Sara was going to be coming down to help him out when I went to California this upcoming weekend... I lost it. I just started crying. I was waiting for him to say "because your mom passed away, you need to leave, you need to stay there longer..." something like that. While I might have been much better this week I was at home, I was still on edge about the fragility of my moms health.

SO! Apparently Sara and Chris and the boys are coming down on Friday night! Brian wanted to keep their visit a surprise from me, and the kids. But Sara knows how very hard it is for women to have surprise house guests, and she also knew just how emotional I was feeling with everything going on. So she convinced Brian to tell me, but still keep it a secret from the kids.

So Friday night, we ordered and pizza and waited for it to be delivered. Ding dong! Pizza? Nope, the Leadbetter family!

Kids we delighted, and I honestly breathed a breath of fresh air when Sara walked in. Knowing that she was going to take care of my people for 4 days while I was away, and that she brought along my kids best friends for their happiness, and Brian's bestie too for his happiness. All was good.

We kicked off the night with a quick birthday party for 5 yr old Drew! Today was his actual birthday and he had just spent over 8 hours in the car, on his birthday, driving down to see us. Sara said he was all into soccer this fall, so I made him a soccer themed birthday cake-

The Leadbetter boys opened some birthday presents (they all have fall birthdays), and the last gift was matching "sleeper suits!" Tate got a pair too, as he would just love to be a Leadbetter too!

Sara and I quickly realized that Tate and Nick chose the exact same sneakers for this school year. Of course they are best friends!

We finally put the kids to bed after dinner of just cake, shortly after midnight. And then we continued to play board games and chat outside until the wee hours of the morning...

Thankfully Macy decided she was too tired to go to gymnastics (although Sara promised me she would set her alarm and start her sister wife duties at breakfast, ensuring that Macy would get to 9am gymnastics too), so that just left Tate's archery lesson at 11. Not too shabby. It was a bummer that it was a rainy day, and poor Nick could only watch, but the 4 of us we just happy to be together.

I would fly out early Sunday morning, so Saturday was the only day I had with the Leadbetter's. It was full of football, friends and yes, so tears too. But I left Sunday morning knowing that my kids were good. Sara had this. She was so gracious to take time out of her very full life, to come down and attend to my life...

Sunday after I left, the guys went on a bike ride and Sara took all 5 kids to our church. (She was so good about making sure things stayed as normal as possible for Tate and Macy while I was gone) She was going to meet up with the guys at a winery after church, but as the guys were biking to the winery, they stumbled upon a festival, so Sara and the kids met them there instead-

Sunday night Chris would fly back to Connecticut for work Monday... Their kids had no school Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, so that allowed them to stay.

Monday Brian kept the boys at home and Diane came to gran Sara and Macy for some girl time. Shopping!

Monday afternoon Diane had everyone over for dinner and while there, Nick fell and unfortunately ended up with a concussion. So Sara and Nick were in the ER late into the night Monday night. Here she is helping me, while her son has a concussion. Sigh. Tuesday morning she was up and at em like it never happened though. She didn't skip a beat getting my kids out the door on time for school.

Poor Nick and mom with matching hospital bracelets-

I loved seeing so many sweet pictures come on my phone while Sara and the boys were here-

But then, it had to end. On Wednesday they would say goodbye before the bus came and Sara would drive off to resume her own life...

And I will be forever in debt to her for taking the time away from the hustle and bustle of her own life- animals, houses, jobs- to hunker down in my life for several days.

Remember how I said that I dont think the kids miss me much while I am gone because they are surrounded by so much fun and love? A box came in the mail one day from my friend Tori in Montana. It was for the kids... It was Patriots gear for Tate, and her daughter sent Macy her American Girl! She knew Macy didn't have one yet, so sweet Taylor wanted to pass hers on to Macy. Oh the love.

And Brian planned an awesome adventure on afternoon of indoor rock climbing-

Macy loved it so much that she went home and wrote out waivers for the neighbors to sign for her new "tree climbing business"-

And Brian assisted while she made lemonade-

Meanwhile in Cali.... Mom didn't feel too up for any adventures the 4 days I was there. We went out to dinner once and took her for a manicure thought! Her best friend from elementary school, Chris Curran, and her husband Paul, had flown in for the week from Massachusetts. My mom said the one thing she wanted to do was play cards with them. My parents used o play a lot of cards with them when we were kids, so she thought it'd be a fun family night for all of us. They waited until I got to town to play. And while it was a fun night, with lots and lots of story telling, my mom just wasn't up for it rested instead of playing with the 6 of us.

Paul, mom and Chris-

The day after Paul and Chris left, my moms long time best friend Debbie came back to stay- for 3 weeks!

Brooklyn makes us all smile-

Saying good-bye was tough, as I'd only been there a few days and didn't know when I would return next... But knowing Debbie would be with her for the next 3 weeks certainly helped eased my mind about leaving.

Off to San Jose, just over a two hour drive to surprise Kristen finally!

Kristen's 40th birthday was on Friday, and a big birthday party was planned at her friends house. Saturday night was a family dinner and then I would leave Sunday morning...

I got into town early enough to meet up with Lynn and surprise the kids after school. Wesley was excited to see me, sort of. But surprising Riley was awesome! She walked up to the car, with me in the front passenger seat and froze in fear of the stranger in the car. She walked away slowly and when I took off my sunglasses, so was so confused and surprised at the same time. It was fabulous.

Then we all went to Kristen's work to surprise her. I had been avoiding her all week, so she would have no idea that I was in Cali with my mom. I had made a phone date with her for late Thursday afternoon, and called when I was just about 5 minutes away. As we were talking, I was walking up to her office and suddenly there I and she was SO surprised!

The weekend would turn out to be wonderful. Every hour I got o spend with Kristen was such a gift. And it was a treat to be there by myself, no kids, no husband, no mom. It felt like I had checked myself into a spa!

So lucky to have these two in my life-