My Trip Home: Day 7 - Friends and Family - An American Swede in ...

When Mom flew me home to UT to surprise Great for Mother's Day I was under strict orders that she flew me home and my time was to be spent with her. However, she generously gave me a day to get together with John's family and my friends from my old neighbourhood. I posted on FB that I was home if anyone wanted to do lunch, and look at what darling friends wanted to see me! It has taken moving to the UK and thinking and pondering for many hours and many days about life to come to a very important understanding about friendship.?

Friendship requires an equal level of commitment, and a true friend always appears in your life when you are struggling the most. Friendship is earned and not entitled. Friends ask how you are and leave the comparisons and the "It could be worse" attitudes at the door. I have learnt that it is important to be kind to everyone, but not everyone has to be your friend. Some people are toxic and controlling and manipulative and it is okay to keep them at a distance. Again, it is important to be kind to everyone you see at church, or at the school, or at sporting lessons, but outside of church, school, and lessons, you are not required to be close friends. I have also learnt that it is okay TO?have close friends.?

I am grateful for these amazing women who have taken a mutual interest in me and feel super blessed to have good friends. I am a person who definitely needs to have friendships in my life and have learnt a lot over the past 2 years about real friendship that builds, supports, and encourages. Priceless. We decided to meet at Paradise Bakery for lunch and chit chat until it was time to get the kiddo's from school.

Here we are in all our lunching glory. Lau took the picture.

Photographer Laura getting her own solo shot :)

Lau?

Mari?

Carrie?

Sarah?

Aunt A-dee AKA Adriel

Mariann

Rashawn

Tiffany left first and I forgot to get a picture with her. It was so nice to see these fun friends that I cried when I saw them all. It was so nice and comfortable and fun to chat and see their cute faces. I can't even begin to tell you how it felt to see these amazing, strong, fun, beautiful, friends again. Each of them inspires me in a different way.

After lunch I ran some errands with Mom and then headed to John's Mom's house for dinner and mingling with his family. John's mom only lives a half a mile from my mom. They are in the same neighbourhood, convenient eh? ? ? :)?

John's sister Allison and her husband Danny with my nephew Ben and niece Hannah

John's sister Sarah and her husband Jon and my niece Malu and nephews Hiwa and Keoki

My beautiful niece's Hannah and Malu. Malu is 14 and she is 2 inches taller than me and Hannah is 12.

John's dad Dee and his Step Mom Jan with our nephews Joey and Nick

My darling nephews. I held Hiwa, Austy, and Joey when they were just babies. Hiwa is the one next to me and is 6'4" at the age of 15, Austy is next to him at 6'2" at the age of 15, and Joey is next to him at 6'0" at the age of 15. Tall tall tall boys. Keoki, Ben, and Nick are in the front. These boys are all darling and such good good kids.

John's sister Amy and my niece Hannah

Amy's "special friend" Gerry

John's sister Amy and my nephew Austy

I LOVE John's family and have been hanging around them since Jacob the eldest grandson was born 15 years ago. John and I had a great friendship before we married. John's family is BEAUTIFUL! I could just stare at his gorgeous sisters for hours.......sounds creepy, but seriously they are all that gorgeous. I feel really blessed to have such fun SIL's that feel like blood sisters to me. I miss John's family as we were really close to both of our family's when we left. It was fun to squish these cute kids and my family and to chat and catch up. Can't wait for them to come and visit this summer.

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