I wound up having dinner on the Friday night with some of my favorite people in the entire world. My three best friends and I met in Baton Rouge for one last hoorah before our friend Angie moves to Africa in a few weeks. I have known these three women for the last decade. There are sooo many memories of my life that revolve around them. Angela and I were freshmen together. Missy and I spent a summer together that we titled "The Summer of Miss and Mir"... we even had an email account. Angie was our women's pastor and shared her home and life with me. She is my "all knowing" friend. Anything in life I can't figure out, she's the one I call. I lived with Missy and her husband after they got married. Angela and I were in our first Chi Alpha Bible study together and we traveled to England and Africa together. I stood outside the delivery room door while Missy gave birth to her second child and held him moments after he breathed his first breath. I used to have a key to Angie's house and could show up anytime I wanted. And Angie was at the airport every time I returned from Africa. Angie's kids are the only kids I have ever babysat overnight and the only diaper I've ever changed. And my list could go on and on as to why these women are so important in my life. So when I realized I could swing a dinner with the four of us before heading to New Orleans with my brother, I jumped at the opportunity. This is the four of us after dinner (left to right: Angie, Missy, Angela, myself):
After dinner I spent the night with Angie and her husband and kids (all of whom I love dearly). Saturday I got up, hung out with the kiddos for a bit and then hit the pool for a few hours before my brother picked me up.
The rest of the weekend it was my brother and sister-in-law and myself. We drive down to the French Quarter in New Orleans and checked in to our hotel. After getting ready we walked over to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse where we had dinner reservations. Because it was my birthday dinner, our table had birthday confetti on it and when dessert came it had happy birthday written in chocolate. The entire dinner was absolutely fabulous!! It really was the best steak I have ever eaten!! Sooo good!!!!
After dinner we trekked our mile and a half to the theatre and took our seats in great anticipation of what was to come. I was as giddy as a little kid! And when Rafiki took the stage and began to sing "Circle of Life", I may or may not have teared up just a little bit. And then the back doors of the theatre opened and the rhinos and elephants and all the animals made their way down the aisles and on to the stage. Talk about majestic! It was absolutely incredible!! And again well worth the wait!!
After the show we wandered through Louis Armstrong park and then made our way to Cafe du Monde for beignets.
Sunday morning we got up and headed to Baton Rouge for church. We enjoyed the Easter service at Healing Place Church (such a phenomenal church)and then did lunch at La Madeleine at Perkins Rowe. We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather and wonderful food.
After lunch, sadly, we parted ways. I thoroughly enjoyed the time with brother and sister-in-law. They really are such fun to be with and completely spoiled me for my birthday/Christmas present. They truly are generous and loving and so sweet. I couldn't ask for a better brother and sister-in-law.
Luckily though for my drive back to Lafayette, I remembered that I had this jewel stashed in my glove compartment:
I've had this cassette since the 4th or 5th grade. I discovered it sometime ago at my mother's house and stashed it in my glove compartment since my car has a tape and cd player in it. I hadn't listened to it until my drive home. Crazy how I still know all the words and can rock out some Lion King soundtrack like nobody's business!
Overall I could not have asked for a better weekend. It was absolutely fabulous and worth every single bit of the four month wait!!
until then......
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NOTHING---like FAMILY & OUR GIRLFRIENDS!
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