Last night I was reminded of one of the ways I have been blessed beyond measure.
Four friends from college put their kids to bed, one of them dusted off their exhaustion after a long day of work, and we all met on a Zoom call for nearly three hours. The bulk of our time was spent catching up and laughing together. Sharing videos and stories and pets others might not have seen or heard of. I've been blessed with enough time and finances to visit each of the lovely ladies that showed up last night (and many of the husbands), over the past few years on a semi-regular basis, but for the bulk of the gang that isn't the case. My request for new eyes to give input into typesetting options for book 1 turned into a great excuse to talk together and laugh together.
And gosh, it was so good to have that time.
Amid work schedules and crazy long weeks and preparation for a last week of camp and trying to get this book published well, I once again am in awe of the people that God has blessed me with on this journey.
When we did talk book stuff, they were quick to offer their input and suggestions. They told me what worked with some things and what didn't with others. They gave me great feedback and alternatives. The English teacher among us started finding hidden meanings in things I didn't intend to have meanings. We laughed about dragon anatomy and creature concept designs. And I got to show them character sketches as a sneak preview of what was to come.
It was a joyful time for me, and it made me miss them all terribly.
I'm considering purchasing an RV if only to give myself the excuse to visit them all more often.