Five Minute Friday: Together

Linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker and others for Five Minute Friday.
Today's prompt: Together.
Five minutes starts............
NOW!

I have been looking forward to today for several weeks.
Why, you ask?
Well, for one thing, we don't have school.  It's a much-welcome day for fall break, for students AND teachers.  And as much as the kids always like having a day off, the longer I'm in teaching, I think these days off are as much (if not more!) for the teachers as for the kids.
But, also, I get to be together with some friends.
Several weeks ago when a friend came over to visit, we talked about trying to find a time to get together to do some papercrafting, either scrapbooking or card-making.  She had been talking with a mutual friend of ours, Christina, who lives a short distance away.  We checked calendars, Jenny did some emails and phone calls, and voila!  We were set for today and tomorrow.
I can't tell you how excited I am to just be together with these two ladies.
They're staying here at our home, and that adds to my excitement.  I love having guests, whether it's for a few minutes, or several hours.  Fresh towels are in their bathroom downstairs, bedding is freshly washed, pillows are plumped.
The rest of the house?  It's presentable.  And you know what?  For once, I'm completely OK with that.  Because I know they're not coming over to inspect the house, to tsk-tsk about crumbs on the floor (which there are), the layer of dust that's covering most of the furniture (which it is, but, hey, we live in the country and it's harvest season!), or the laundry that will continue to be done in the utility room while we work in the basement.
We need this time together.  To share life, to laugh, to chat, to reflect, to ponder, to pray, possibly to cry, definitely to eat chocolate, to drink sangria.....to just.be.together.
Oh, yes, and we'll hopefully get some cards made too.

STOP!