Friends

I have posted on friends and friendships in the past.
I'm not sure why some people just seem to connect and others don't.

It is 2:20 in the morning and Chris and I have only been back at our hotel for a short time. We spent the evening and the early morning hours visiting with people that we barely know, but are most definitely our friends.
Back in June of 2011, Chris and I were on vacation in Mazatlan Mexico and ran across a crazy group of Canadians that were staying at the same hotel. Two of the women (Alyssa and Monika) didn't travel as a part of the rest of the group; they were traveling together and joined their fellow countrymen at the pool each day. Those two young women and one woman (Jo) from the main group (by main group I mean the loudest craziest ones) have kept in contact with us over the years. We have become better acquainted with each other through contact on Facebook.

Last fall we made plans to meet Jo and her husband Gord in Cancun. (Gord was not on the 2011 trip.)
We met at the end of January and had a really great vacation. Chris and I had never been to Canada and talked about coming here to visit their country and to see our friends.
It has been a grand time.
We managed to see Alyssa for a day in the Niagara area and Monika for a day in Toronto. We had a couple of great meals out, but the best ones were the ones sitting at Jo and Gord's dining room table.
They invited a couple of their friends to join us for dinner last night -- Leah and Andy. Andy is from Cuba and has just recently completed the necessary documentation to move to Canada. The six of us at the dinner table were from three different countries!
Jo's oldest son, Ryan, joined us for dessert.

Andy has to get up early for work, but stayed much later than he intended to stay. After he and Leah left, Gord and I went out to the deck to enjoy a cigar and more conversation. Chris and Jo came out and we just enjoyed visiting and laughing with our friends.

I'm sure that Jo and Gord will eventually make it to Southwest Missouri, but first we are working on another winter trip to Mexico and I think that Alyssa and Monika are planning to join us.

As I said at the beginning, I'm not sure what it is that brought us together more than others we have met. It's a real kinship kind of feeling, though -- more like family than friends.
As much as I have enjoyed seeing Niagara Falls, going to a MLB game, seeing the beautiful Lake Ontario and dining on great foods -- all of that would have been just another trip without being able to visit with our friends.

Sometimes I say, "God loves you, but I'm His favorite!"
Tonight I really feel that way, for I am truly a well blessed man.

It is close to 3 AM now; way past time to call it a day.

John <><