Item# 37: See 4 People That I Love…

In Loving Memory of Dianne

40 Things for 40 Years in 40 Weeks: Item#37 (Things I Really Enjoy): See 4 People that I Love… (but don't get to see very often)

There are so many people that have come into my life over the years from the various phases of it that I love dearly. Obviously there are immediate and extended family members, but there are also childhood and college friends, former co-workers turned friends from various jobs, neighbors from the places we have lived and then people that drift into your life from unexpected places and just stick. To me family and friends are all on the same level and I try to invest equally in both.

Living in Washington the past 10 years makes it harder to see many of the people that I love because most of them still reside in California or other parts of the country. With life being busy, we are not able to see everyone every single time we return to my former home state of 30 years. Somehow years go by and seeing them on Facebook, sending a birthday card or maybe connecting via phone to catch up once in a while helps but it’s not the same as seeing them in person. And so I decided that I would add seeing (at least) 4 people that I love… but don’t get to see very often as item #37 on my #40for40in40 list.

I probably could have listed 40 people that I don’t see often enough but given constraints of both time and money that seemed like an impossible goal to reach. There are many of you out there that we almost saw in the past few months but for one reason or the other we missed each other. I was however very lucky to see the following people since I turned 40 in April… some after just a few months or a year going by, some after 5 years and even two people I had not seen in 11 years!

Dianne the Firecracker (last seen… March 2012!):
Dianne is a former neighbor turned friend from when we lived in Saratoga. I met Dianne at a HOA meeting when we first moved into the Chardonnay complex. I could tell she was trouble right away… and I mean this in the best possible sense of the word. She had me in stitches in that meeting challenging several other residents that were in a silly dispute over what new roofing material to use. From that day on, I knew she was part of my tribe. Dianne finds humor in so many things and her honesty (delivered in her Texan accent) is unmatched. She’s a spunky, real, fire cracker of a woman and I love that and so many other things about her.

Eileen Sullivan:
Eileen is a former client turned friend and mentor who I met in my days of wedding planning. From the moment we met over email and then eventually in person, she had me laughing with her witty (and a wee bit wicked) sense of humor. Eileen is more than just a funny lady though, she is wise, kind, generous, treats me like family and is always there for me no matter what. Whether we are exchanging funny stories or she is bestowing one of her pearls of wisdom wrapped in a wise little saying on me – this woman is pure gold and brings so much to my life.

Michelle & Co:
Michelle is my former co-worker turned long time friend (and awesome travel partner!) who has already been mentioned in several of my posts. Michelle and I can always pick up where we left off like we saw each other just the day before about anything from mom talk to fashion tips and she and her husband feel like an aunt and uncle to our kids. Although I had just seen Michelle when we met in Portland in September, I was fortunate enough to see her and her entire family in October as well. They surprised Chucky and I at the airport. After a delayed flight and a chaotic struggle through the rental car center the whole ordeal delayed serving dinner for their kids to like 9pm that night. They never complained. Now that’s friendship!

My Uncle Nick & Cousin Michael (last seen… March 2012 and October 2006!):
Uncle Nick is one of my mom’s three brothers and the one that I have the most childhood memories with. We spent many holidays and celebrated many other occasions at his house over the years. With my mom’s condition now, both of my grandparents passed away as well as he and my mom’s youngest brother also having passed away – my uncle is the keeper of the family anecdotes and memories of which there are many. He’s also a fantastic cook and host, tells a great story and is the father of my only cousin I grew up with on that side of the family. My cousin Michael is one of only three cousins that I have (this always amazes my husband because he has like 50 first cousins… I have 3). He’s a great dad and hard worker just like his dad and I appreciate this about both of them. I was fortunate enough to be able to see them both this fall at my uncle’s home along with several other extended family members. It had been SO long since I had seen them and it was great to spend time with my family.

Forrest & Mari:
Forrest is my former manager and the Executive Chef from my days working at the Italian restaurant and hotel. Since we moved out of state, he and his wife Mari have come up for two amazing visits and they always clear their calendar to get together with us when we get back to California especially when it means brunch at Suppenkuche. Although we had a fabulous visit with Forrest and Mari two summers ago, we had not seen their two daughters in a long time. I was able to meet up with all four of them for a quick visit and the fun (and good food!) followed… as it always does with them. These two are the salt of the earth. They breathe nothing but love and positivity and even though I only worked at the restaurant for 2 and a half years, we’ve created a friendship and bond between our two families that I know will last a lifetime.

My Bestie:
My bestie of 30 years is my soul sister. Although I already have two sisters that I love dearly… my bestie is my third sister. She is what I call “the vault” in my life. The one that has been there for all the memories, all the ups, downs, and everything in between. She gets me like few others do and is there for me when I need anything no matter what. We call her children “cousins” to our kids because in my mind she is part of my family and always will be. Her parents are also very important to me because they too are a part of so many memories from my childhood. Going to their house was like going to a fancy hotel with all the junk food and toys you could handle and now that I am an adult they interact with my kids like grandparents. This collective group are like a second family to me. I was lucky enough to see various combinations of all of them three times this year. I treasured these times with all of them because they remind me of who I am and make me feel whole. Bestie, I love you a million times over.

Thank you to all of you for letting me cram you into just a few short visits, as I was flying through town on family business or coming all the way to Seattle to see me. You are my people now and always.

And so that completes #37 on my list. 26 items checked off the list and 14 to go! Stay tuned for more… #40for40in40