New Day

It is a new day. The day brings with it a little nip that wasn't there before and I welcome it with enthusiastic open arms. I never thought I'd say I'd be happy to have a chill in the air but I am.
I woke up with kittens in my arms and was met with the lawn guys when I went to put my trash out. The smell of fresh cut grass is just great.
Mom went back to Washington yesterday. It was definitely sad to come home to an empty house once more...but I'm so glad we had the chance to spend a whole week together and just enjoy hanging out without a real agenda. I miss her already and find myself looking forward to Christmas already. Is that bad?
Wednesday we got up, made breakfast, and then headed out to my new favorite place: Onslow Beach. On Saturday we got to meet up with old friends from China that we hadn't seen in around 9 years. I can't even describe how wonderful it was to catch up with them. Patti had actually grown up on Cherry Point as well as Camp Lejeune. She took us to Onslow Beach and it is up there on my list of best beaches I've ever been to. I am tempted to say it is 2nd place. But I haven't quite decided yet. It gets high marks nonetheless. Our time with them was SO great. We enjoyed reminiscing about old times, sharing unknown stories, laughing about culture and the misunderstandings there of. We also enjoyed searching for fossilized shark teeth, something Patti had a real knack for. She said this beach held a lot of sentimental meaning for her from growing up and also just from some hard times. She would come to Onslow to think and pray...and every time she would find a really good shark's tooth. She felt like it was a sign from God that he was with her. We found several shark's teeth ourselves. We enjoyed Onslow SO much we decided to go back Wednesday. So with a cooler and towels in hand, we headed to the beach and found we were the second pair of people to arrive for the day. The entire beach was ours most of the day and it was amazing. We found countless sharks teeth but the first was the most large, the most desirably shaped just as the first had been on Saturday when we were with Jeff and Patti. I prayed before we found it and felt God with us the entire day. After having our fill (almost) of sand, spying crabs, shells, shark teeth, and helicopters (it is on a military base, after all), we headed to Raleigh. Mom had a very early morning flight so I decided to get a hotel so we didn't have to wake up at the break of dawn. It was really great. We both love staying in hotels! I couldn't even tell you why. We just love it. We ordered room service for the first time ever and sat and watched America's Next Top Model: Petite in our jammies.
The next morning, we got coffee and pastries at the airport and sat and talked until it was time for mom to go to her gate. I got a little misty eyed as I waited and watched her go through security. It's as she said...it's almost like our roles are reversed. I felt like the anxious mom watching our for her kid. Yet I was the anxious kid watching out for my mom. It's hard to explain or describe...but I guess that's what happens when your best friends with your mom. Best friends lift each other up and support one another when the other is weaker.
Conclusion? This is the best vacation I've possibly ever had. I had no agenda besides spending time with mom and having fun and showing her the area. All of which we did. I wish she could have stayed another week...or several months. But it was great anyway.
When I got home after driving back from Raleigh, I slept for awhile before being woken up by John. We finally got to talk on the phone for over an hour. After saying goodbye, I found two letters from him in the mail box. I feel much better now.
One thing we did while mom was here was get a package together for John. I hope he gets it soon.