Joyful!

I was reading Junie B. Jones to Owen at bedtime tonight and she said she loves how Junie B. always uses the word "joyful". I thought the same thing. What a great word and why do we not use it more? What better way to express an extremely happy sentiment? I have been thinking about a passage in the Bible that says to do "all things joyfully onto the Lord". So, even doing something as mundane as laundry, I want to be joyful.

Super fun weekend. Just what I needed to feel happy and at home. My girlfriend called from Georgia yesterday at 1:30 and was in town with her family by 5:30. Her husband is a pilot for Delta, so she called to say they were thinking about coming to Florida. Just like that, with their 2 kids. They were here in time for dinner and swimming in the rain. Happy day. Happy that it rained a magnificent and cooling storm last night. Happy that the thunder rolled in again for that strangely peaceful sound. Happy that we had a housefull of kids and friends again. A slumber party, even! Joy!

Berta is a California girl, born and bred. Then, 4 1/2 years ago, she had to leave LA with her kids and follow her husband to Delta's hub in Atlanta so he could keep his job. She was not happy about it, but she has come full circle and, of course, is thriving there. We spend the weekend with hours swimming in the ocean, more swimming in the pool, laughing and gossiping. It doesn't get any better than that. The kids love each other, our husbands get along, and Berta is like a long lost sister to me. She has this amazing way of seeing things from a wonderfully different and brilliant perspective. She not only sees the world with rose colored glasses, she passes those glasses around to everyone else and convinces us that the world is that beautiful. She enabled me to see things from a slightly happier perspective ("Yes. It is hot sometimes here, sometimes even miserable, but it is just weather. We are lucky enough to have air conditioned houses and cars, and pools and cold things to eat."). Her favorite saying is, "What do I care?".

This visit, coupled with a 15 mile run with the Sun Runners yesterday morning, made for a really complete, if not exhausting, weekend. Even more exciting is the possibility of running the Marine Corps Marathon in October. While discussing the disappointment I was feeling of not having a fall marathon on the books, Lisa and Kim from the group yesterday told me there is a number for sale for MC since one of their friends has a conflict and cannot go. I simply have to pay the transfer fee to my name and I can stay in the hotel with them for the race. It sounds like so much fun....I just feel a little sick about leaving the kids and Marc for the weekend. That and the fact that I will have to run 20 miles in 2 more weeks. Usually this would be thrilling, but I have this little hamstring problem right now. My lame right leg is still giving me issues. Time will tell.

More and more I feel like life is really all about relationships. The people I hold so close in my heart (Roberta) and the people we are meeting along the way (Kim and Lisa, etc) are what make life worthwhile and interesting. I am nothing without these people who help define who I am and what matters most...faith, family, love, running, routine....Shocking, but it seems like there may just be a place for us here...at least for now.