ripple. we’ll be expecting you.

Many months in the planning, the women in our homeschool gathering had a bit of a grown up slumber party/retreat/call it what you want this weekend.

And, frankly, I’m at a loss for words to describe the simple beauty of the few days spent in comfortable camaraderie with like-minded moms.

(All you mothers out there – schedule one for yourself as soon as possible.  It’s the anecdote to loads of concerns and troubles.)

We started tossing the idea around probably five months ago and picked the weekend at least four months prior.

That’s how you have to roll when five mothers represent eighteen children.

(Thank you husbands for staying home and cooking meals and playing in the surprise dusting of snow we experienced.  You were a part of something much bigger than any one of us and something that I believe will have this lovely trickle down effect into each of our own individual families.  Ripples in the waters of our homes.  Or some other lovely analogy such as that.)

The point is – we’re grateful.

I’m grateful.

For friendship among women.

For clothing stores with dresses that have just the right amount of lace.  For local fare cooked with flair and passion.  For a serene hideaway in our own hometown.  For conversations that last long into the evening and pierce deep within our hearts.

For hugs and smiles to greet us when we return.

For a breath of energy and renewed perspective.

For encouragement and grace and laughter and long hot showers in clean bathrooms.

For liquid truffles with maple and sea salt and tasting Fage yogurt for the first time.

For a weekend in February that was planned but somehow unexpected at the same time.

For divine timing that places me and them in the same square area of life at exactly the right time.

There are more words that I could say.

(There usually are.)

But somehow – this is all I want to say.

That I am glad it happened.

I think that’s enough.