One busy week/weekend!!

My friend Charissa came to the NW from Indiana for work and was able to work out coming to see us in the middle of her trip. We hadn't seen each other since 2005 when Kevin and I went to visit her and her family in Indianapolis (while I was 5 months pregnant with Katelynn, so it'd been a while!). Kevin and I worked out to stay the night in Portland Friday by ourselves and then picked her up on Saturday afternoon after spending the day at the Clackamas Mall and then drove back to Tacoma. We had more on our to-do list than we had energy so we had to pair down our agenda a bit!
**SIDE NOTE** While we were checking out of our hotel, a lady in the elevator asked what my black pin was and I was so caught off guard that all I could come up with was "um, it's because we lost a baby." She looked shocked and said "Oh, I'm sorry" and looked away almost sorry that she asked. We got off the elevator and walked away and I reran the conversation in my head for the next few hours. I should have thanked her for asking or something more than what I did say. Later I mentioned to a sales lady at the mall that I was shopping for new clothes since I recently had a baby and she asked me how old my little one was. I told her that she had passed away. She apologized but I thanked her for asking anyway. That felt better, but I definitely need to work on my response if I am going to wear my pin!
We spent Sunday in Ellensburg visiting with my parents. We like to meet them there for lunch and visit for a bit instead of one of us having to do the whole drive to/from Spokane in a weekend. We came home that night and went to the Purchase With A Purpose at the mall so Katelynn could get her photo with Santa - which was a whole adventure in and of itself! (I'll post the photo when I get it scanned, it's funny now that's it's over, but it was sure an ordeal that night!) Then Monday we needed a break so we skipped MOPS and ran some errands.
Then Tuesday we went up to Seattle and Pike Place Market where we spent most of the day. She got to see the flying fish, the beautiful produce, the interesting and unique vendors and of course paid a visit to the original first Starbucks store! We spent the rest of the night shopping for her family and for me - trying to replace my prego wardrobe with a more updated and modern looking one that will fit my post-baby body! Wednesday we were too tired from the day before (and still had quite a bit on our to-do list) so we skipped preschool and stayed home. I shared Creative Memories with her and she shared Mary Kay with me as we colored/high-lighted my hair. (to go with my new updated wardrobe! actually I had been wanting to do it for some time) That night we had our friend Kelly come over for dinner and to visit. Then Thursday morning Katelynn and I took Charissa to the Amtrak station for her ride down to Salem where she would be meeting up with her co-workers again. We then went to get Katelynn's hair cut "officially" for the first time. That will be a post all it's own!
Needless to say it was quite a full 6 days for us! It was a nice to have a few days where I could "act normal" and not feel like a grieving mother/wife. However, that took it's toll. I realized the night before she left and more so after she was gone that "acting normal" felt like a disservice to her as my friend as well as to Kristen. I wanted to make sure my friend and I had a good time and I unknowingly decided that wouldn't include me as Kristen's mom. I wanted so much in my pretending to "feel" normal or what I thought was normal, that I wasn't allowing myself to be me, the good and not-so-good. But just like that day at MOPS that I blogged about, the only person I was pretending for (and probably the only one I was fooling) was me! So although I regret not sharing that with my friend while she was here, I am so thankful for the time I did have, the fun we did have, and the realization of what "being me" means.