kelle.

tonight was a GOOD night.
five of my most favorite people on the planet came over for dinner.
we ate.
we drank.
we laughed like school girls.
and,
we met kelle hampton.

 
well, we skyped with kelle hampton so it was pretty much meeting her.
same difference.
and it felt completely normal.
turns out she is as real as they come, as awesome as you think she probably is, and as funny and genuine as she seems on her blog.
nella is one lucky girl.



we chatted about down syndrome, relationships, husbands, kids, friends, and stereotypes. 
she was in indiana, of all places, and took the idea of skyping a bunch of southern girls in alabama all in stride.
she's been doing this for months, ever since her best-selling book, bloom, came out.
all because she thought it would be a nice thing to do for people who bought her book.
about five minutes before she called, i thought, "no way this is real. no way kelle hampton is actually going to call us.  this is crazytown."
and just as i finished that thought, the computer rang and there she was.




keeping it real, and to be completely honest, i hid in the kitchen and pretended i was cooking for most of it.
because i could hear kelle speaking, talking from her heart about how down syndrome made her a better mother, and about how she worried so much for lainey, and about how the relationship between her kids is more than she ever could have expected--and it made me bubble up with emotion.
i was a wreck.
i was sweating and teary-eyed and sniffling.
and there were my friends, all happy and sweet, just enjoying the moment.
and i was sniffling over the tostadas.
i'm a nut.
i know.
but sometimes reality hits me like a ton of bricks.



i lived through and am still living through kelle's words and thoughts.
they are my life too.
my life is the way it is because of ben.
there's no denying it--his life has changed mine.

i live for today only and try not to get too far ahead of myself.
i've learned that mortal plans are for fools.
we are not in control--oh no.
the Good Lord knows the way and he steers us and shapes us and plants us smack dead in the middle of what he knows we need, what he chooses for us.
you can get all pissy about it, but it won't change a thing.
you can throw a fit, scream and cry, pray and beg for circumstances to change, but if it's meant to be, it will be.
taking it one day at a time, living in the moment, embracing what you have, giving it all you've got...this is the way to live life and really live.



kelle reminded us all tonight.
and it was such a treat.
thanks kelle!

special thanks to all of my furry friends. (hahahaaa) for coming tonight and not making me feel embarassed for getting all teary-eyed.
and thanks so much for the laughs.
i really, really, really love you girls.