raising heller

so i would like to start off by saying thank you to my mom for buying me a plane ticket to huntington beach for my birthday. i haven’t seen my friends in almost 4 years. we used to hang out all of the time and i miss each one of them dearly. i was really sad that i didn’t get to see julie due to illness but, i know i will see her this summer. i arrived into LAX at 10pm on my actual birthday and kim and tracy picked me up. i was still a little doped up from my anxiety flying medication but i was really excited to see them. the first stop was “in and out” for a little grilled cheese and some fries with extra salt(can’t eat them any other way.) then we dropped off tracy and went to kim’s and surprise…

kim’s wonderful husband seth, made a little birthday creation for me. it was awesome! thanks again seth and kim for everything you did this weekend from buying me food to taking me to the movies and the swap meet it couldn’t have been a better weekend.

kim and her beautiful kiddos ben and london.

the next morning we met my life long friend kelly and her four kids at the bagel shop for breakfast. it was soo good to see her, catch up on her life and meet her youngest children for the first time.

next we made it to kim harvey’s and this is cute picture of her and her bunny. we were able to sit in the sun in her backyard and talk and laugh, it was soo nice outside(the perfect temperature.) it was so good to see you kim and we missed having you at dinner!

next we went to visit ruth. she cut and colored my hair and caught me up on everything going on around her house. ruth is awesome, i met her like 14 years ago and every time we see each other (no matter how long it has been) it seems like it has been no time at all. i think that is what i love about my friends, we have known each other for so long that we don’t let living 2 states away change that.

ruth also made me an awesome feather headband just like the one she is wearing here. i love it, thanks ruth!

kayley, alison, tracy & tarah

ok so saturday night all of my friends, minus julie, met at buca de beppo’s for dinner. it was a blast. we talked about almost everything you can think of from children, to hair to well i don’t think i have to mention the rest.

i just thought this was a good picture of kim and tarah.

after dinner we headed for pinkberry’s and then starbucks so we could sit around and talk. we probably stayed there for 2 hours talking laughing. i had the greatest time ladies. i miss each and every one of you all of the time and i feel so blessed to have been able to spend time with you this weekend. thank you for being there, i had such an amazing birthday.

lastly but definitely not least, this is benny boy. he is only 1 day older than asher and he (well him and london) saved me from missing my kids too much. in the mornings i would go sit on the couch and watch cartoons with him and london and he would scoot immediately over and cuddly up next to me. london was always there to give me a kiss and a hug and tell me she loves me which made me feel like i wasn’t too far away from my own family. thank you braithwaite family for sharing your home and family with me. i will love you always!

until next summer my friends, i promise we will visit you then. i can’t wait for you to meet my family.