WWJD?

** I started this post days and days ago. I honestly can't remember what more I was planning, so I'm popping it up now and moving on to the next one.

Last week we took a family vacation to Colorado. Good times had by all, though it was a little on the soggy side. We got to spend 3 days with my good friend Horses and his family, which was lovely. He continues to be his conservative non-MAGA-nut Oxford-shirt-wearing self, and his wife is still a crunchy granola earth lady, which is funny to see but they are evidently still very happy together. Only two of their three boys (ages 15 and 13) were home during our stay, but both of them were so sweet and kind to my tweenage children, it's clear that they are being raised right.

We had also planned to spend a night or two with one of Mr. J's oldest friends, Books, who lives in Colorado Springs. I had told her months in advance that we were coming and what the dates were ... but I discovered the week beforehand that Mr. J had failed to have any follow-up conversations with her, even though he had consistently assured me that we would stay at their house. Turned out that they were not receiving guests. Now, these folks did spend two nights at our house less than a year ago, but apparently their house is very small and she works from home. et cetera. Sure, fine, whatever. There are hotels in Colorado Springs, it's fine. Books did want our families to get together one evening, though. They didn't invite us to the house for dinner - they picked a (fairly pricy) restaurant. Separate checks, natch. 

It's been a long time since she lived in Louisville; apparently the Southern hospitality has worn off. I promise I don't mean any of this b!tchy. 

Books has a daughter who is 2 years older than my Punkin. They hit it off when the family came to Louisville last year, and once again got on like a house afire on this trip. Punkin went back to their house after dinner so they could get swimsuits and Books's Daughter came and swam at the hotel pool for a while and Books caught up with Mr. J. Books is considering returning to the Louisville area in the next year - her job is now fully remote, Colorado is really expensive, she still has family here, and also Books's Daughter had a really hard time in school last year. Colorado Springs is very evangelical, and although Mr J and Books grew up attending Catholic school together, their family is not religious at all. Apparently BD was subjected to a lot of bullying last year.

Punkin has gotten very into emailing her people (so far, my mom, my sister, and her school-year babysittter) -- and at first I thought it would be so sweet if Punkin and BD stayed in touch by email. But after the first conversation with Punkin, I have failed to follow up with Books to get contact information for BD. The fact is, I am hesitant. 

While BD and Punkin were at the house, BD was showing off her room and told Punkin a particular item was a gift from her ex-girlfriend. BD then told Punkin that she is "bi." Punkin brought this up to me at breakfast the next morning with some anxiety ... she asked me if I thought it was OK for people to be bi, and I told her that of course it's OK, some people are made differently and God knows what He's doing when He makes people even when He doesn't use the standard pattern. For instance, one of Horses's boys is deaf. There's nothing wrong about being deaf and there's nothing wrong about being gay or bisexual. 

That said ... I give a side-eye to a 12 year old who (1) already has "ex-girlfriends" and (2) wants to tell my 10 year old about them. What's this kid processing?