On pins and needles, not knowing what the doctors had in mind and waiting for the news, we all decided it was a good day for a distraction and headed to Scottsdale, about a 30-minute drive from Mesa.
We had never been there, and since they had, they acted as tour guides. Downtown Scottsdale is beautiful with upscale shops, art studios, pottery, silversmiths, clothing, restaurants, and more, more, more.
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| Only one of the beautiful fountains in Scottsdale |
After a morning of browsing, we had worked up an appetite.
The Minars recommended an authentic Mexican restaurant where they had dined before. So we feasted on enchiladas, tacos, Coronas and Margaritas on the outdoor patio.
It was a perfect-weather day, I might add. Bright sun, and mid-70s with a light breeze.
Perfect day, all around.
We took a trolley to Old Town where we were met by...guess what? More shops...and even more shops!
Just when we thought we needed to rest our legs a bit, we spotted a bench with one of those bronze statues that you can have photos taken with. So I suggested taking a picture of Mary Kay snuggling up against the bronze guy; and while she got settled for a good pose, I busied myself getting the camera all ready to snap the perfect picture.
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| Mary Kay and her "bronze" buddy |
Well, this wasn't exactly the pose...
She was about to place her hand on the "bronze" guy's knee when suddenly he moved! It wasn't a statue at all, but a real man. I wish I hadn't been monkeying with the camera because I'd have loved to see the expression on her face to match the scream I heard. I looked up just in time to see him wink and she was laughing hysterically.
After that, we all felt like we had reached our saturation points with all the shops, and headed back for some yogurt and sorbet sundaes.
But I came home with a prize. A Mexican pot and stand, signed by the artist, found at a second-hand store (the only one we saw) for $30.
At the end of the day, however, the real prize for all of us was spending the day together, laughing, shopping, dining, enjoying each other. Forgetting the worry for a short time.
Then the phone call came.
And so this weekend, our friends will head back to Minnesota for their daughter's surgery and will remain there for the season. Chemotherapy will follow the surgery and their daughter will need their help.
We would do the same thing as we share with our friends the same family values, and we understand. We will miss them.
But we will be right here praying for a successful outcome for both the surgery and the rounds of chemo treatments, and we will pray for complete healing for this precious young woman.
We share each others' burdens because that is what friends do.
Thank you for the wonderful day spent with you, Mary Kay and Bob. And God go with you on your travels home.
