Ahhhhh, I feel so content.

I had a weekend with JT, and more importantly, a weekend with Sarah.  Let me explain.

If you’ve been reading this blog over the last five years, then you’ve heard of my Sarah.  Sarah has been by my side since we were 12 years old, and although she hasn’t been physically by my side since 2002, when I moved to Toronto and she moved to Washington, DC, she’s still one of the most important people in my life.  She’s been with me through teenage angst and young adult insecurities, through many moves and graduations, through marriage and babies, through houses and careers and chaos and life.  She sent my two-year-old daughter a glasses-wearing teddy bear after her amblyopia diagnosis, and that act alone pretty much sums her up: she is generous and kind and thoughtful and giving.  She is the sister I never had.

But adulting is hard and life happens; logistics simply kick in and dictate the fact that we don’t see each other as much as we’d like.  In fact, other than a quick two-hour visit over Christmas in 2016, I haven’t seen her since I spent a weekend in Washington, meeting her son Harris two years ago.  But, a few months ago, we found a great excuse to see each other: Justin Timberlake.

Cleveland is a four-hour drive for me and a one-hour flight for her, and it just so happened that JT’s March 31st concert fell on Easter weekend.  I texted her on a whim, suggesting the idea, and her yes response came back within a few minutes.  We bought concert tickets on an Amex pre-sale, booked a hotel on points, and began to plot our 24-hours together.  It all came together really quickly and really easily, but perhaps I should’ve expected that, since

it’s just so easy to be with her.

We walked, we talked, we laughed, we danced, we sang, and we cherished.  I left Cleveland late Sunday morning, only 22 hours after I arrived, and made it home in time to host 16 people for Easter Sunday dinner.  And so as I sit and write this out, only a day and a half after it happened, I realize that this stage of life is like.  Life is hauling it to Cleveland to capture moments, then hauling it back to capture more.  Life is Easter egg hunts and concert hangovers, sometimes on the same day.  Life is teamwork from my husband and cooperation from my kids, life is a potluck holiday meal, life is podcasts and gas station snacks and no lineup at the border.  Life is full, and life is good.