I and Love and You

There's a song that I really like right now by The Avett Brothers, a cool, somewhat contemplative band that has been introduced to me by my magical radio.  The title?  I and Love and You.  It tells the story of the dissolution of a relationship.  It's kind of a downer, to be truthful, but a beautiful story and I love the end, when the lead singer harmonizes I and love and you... I and love and... you.... several times.  It's true... sometimes it really is hard to say those words.

But that's not what this post is about.  (It's true... I am such a tease!)

Today I had two different trainings to attend for My County school counselors.  The morning was our monthly professional development piece, and the afternoon was a refresher for one of our many responsibilities.  Both trainings were good.  What happened in the brief interlude between the two trainings, though, was better.  I dropped by Nature's Table, a fast food restaurant with fairly healthy food located in a strip mall in My Small Town, to pick up a bit of lunch on my way back to the office.  My plan was to eat, check my email back at the office, and then head back out to the second training. 

Whenever I enter an establishment in My Small Town, I always quickly survey the scene.  Because I am a hometown girl, and very connected professionally, I almost always know somebody.  I continued my practice at lunchtime today, but I had no idea that I would encounter two very important people in my life.... Shari and Kelly... my dear elementary school counselor-friends whom I abandoned when I joined the dark side at My Small Town High School.  They were having lunch together, along with Shari's intern.  I stared at Shari until she looked up, which didn't take long.  Hey!

Hey!  I've been where y'all are going... and all I have to say is... it's very long!  The training in the morning was being replicated in the afternoon... that way schools that have multiple counselors would not have to be without their entire company of counselors at one time.  And actually, the morning had gone by pretty quickly, but I wanted to be funny.  I was successful.  At least I think I was.

They laughed, but they might have just been humoring me.  They are my friends... they would do that.

I dropped by their table when I had paid for my food, and gave them the cute, colorful cards for the blog-- even though I knew they were already readers.  We filled the intern in-- very briefly-- on my adventures, and they asked me why I couldn't stay.  I'm due back at the district at one, and didn't ask to be away for the whole day, so I'm going to eat and check email before heading back.

Can't you check email from your phone?

Yeah... but the font is way too small to reply.

We're career women of the new millennium, checking our email from our smart phones and lunching between trainings.  We talked about getting together for happy hour one day soon... although Shari is tied up until November.  Her daughter cheers and her son plays Pop Warner football.

I really hate football season.  (But only because it infringes upon time with my dear friend!)

It's funny how with friends, and even close colleagues, it's so easy to say I and Love and You.

Addendum:  When the author attended the afternoon professional development, she did so with a fellow counselor from her school and her assistant principal.  When he walked into the room, Judy slid over so that he could sit between us.  The following hilarious exchange took place:

I moved over so we could share you!

A lady sandwich... that's my favorite lunch!

The author is very aware how very lucky she is to work with such great people.