When friends inspire.

Inspired.

Many things inspire me (especially a good book) and when those things do their magic I am able to love better, listen better, try harder, even write better. Over the last four days (last week) a family of five visited us as they had a brief moment in their month (before the work really begins to bare down!). So they strapped in their three very young kiddos and came for a visit.

It was mad mayhem with all our five kids---3.5 to seven mo's--but oddly enough I find myself, even today refreshed. It could have to do with the level of respect I have for my friend and what she's chosen to do with her life, how she spends her time and what she's investing in. Even as the world questions her choice of staying at home with her children full time in light of that fact that she's an MD, she digs deep into her convictions and knows her place in this world. We shared stories of loneliness and feelings of isolation in the young-children's-mommy-world--it's so good knowing other mom's feel it too!--and at the same time swapped stories of overflowing diapers, too little time for cooking, and what to do when the doorbell rings and you're feeding. So many stories and too little time. This season of life as a mom of young children is so fleeting but talking to Anna reminded me that these fleeting moments are also invaluable to the molding of our children young as they are.

It's always sad to see friends leave. But this time, I was actually more inspired in my role as a stay-at-home mom than I was sad to see them return home (to B-desh). I am inspired to keep on keeping on in my role, to keep doing what I do well and to raise the bar where I need improvement.

Sometimes good things come out of goodbyes after all. Inspiration.