I drove home late tonight from a dinner with two of my closest girlfriends, once again amazed at how relationship (and God in relationship) does miracles in our lives. I love these women so much. They have a profound ability to hold in a delicate balance seeing my depravity, speaking into it, embracing my dignity, and loving and enjoying me right through all of it. And then I looked back on the rest of my weekend, smiling at the full and wonderful collage of other faces I was blessed to encounter, too. I haven't enjoyed people this much in a long time; my heart feels alive and hopeful and at peace. Birthday parties, dinners, games and conversations around the dinner table, swimming, laughing, Red Robin, Guitar Hero, my boys, my girl, my husband, and all my other friends who I was blessed to spend time with these past couple of days... Thank you for the gifts you gave to me this weekend. I'll carry them with me into the week.