A Golden Half Century Ago...

For My Parents....




This month would have marked a very special anniversary.

And just because my dad is no longer here on earth, I couldn't let the month completely slip by without paying tribute to it...and my parents.

Because, if my dad were still alive, this month of August would have marked their
50th Anniversary.

My parents met at a little phone booth, on the corner of Hollywood and Vine. My dad was at the end of a very bitter divorce process, feeling both lost and lonely. When he saw my sweet mom, an innocent and very-young-for-thirty gal using the phone, something compelled him to try and meet her.
And my mom, very cautious and a little shy....saw something in this tall, handsome and rather lonely looking man...and actually agreed to a date!
She claims this was totally out of character for her. But she did insist, that because it was going to be a Sunday, their first date be to church.

(You can read more about this part of their story from my mom, herself, written on her blog in this post.)

So, began a whirlwind romance...and they were soon married just several months after meeting, in August, 1957.

Well, at least the first time.

No, they weren't divorced later, but because this first marriage ceremony was an elopement in Mexico, where my parents strained to understand the quickie ceremony performed in Spanish, they agreed to have a real wedding later that year in December.



Things were not so easy. There were financial issues, health issues (each of them became very ill right from the start, but thankfully recovered) ...and then there were those issues that come when one spouse has been divorced and has children.

My mom's new step-daughters were about nine and fourteen, and surprisingly, it was the youngest that seemed to have the most bitter spirit; a heart that seemed impossible for my mom to reach.
Looking at this from my now adult perspective, I can only imagine how difficult this transition was for all of them involved...but I do know that my mom has always had a tender heart, and I know how hard she must have tried.

Not quite a year later, still newlyweds, my parents spent their first entire summer as man and wife within the walls of their little trailer house....with his two daughters!

Let's just say it gave a whole new meaning of close quarters.

Here is my mother, above, in front of the "infamous" trailer house. I love this picture of her...I would look at it as a child and think how pretty she was!

Somehow, everyone survived...but there were other issues that challenged their marriage.
She wanted a child...my dad, after seeing the bitterness of his own children toward him following the divorce, did not.
Mom mom pleaded, prayed ...and even contemplated leaving him. She spoke with their pastor, who in turn had a heart to heart with my father.
It was God using this talk, that I believe ultimately lead...five years after their wedding...

to me!

I heard that in spite of his initial reluctance to be a father again, it was love at first sight.


In the almost 31 years that my parents were married, up until he passed away in 1988, their lives were challenged with so many different kinds of hurdles.

The two worst were his years of alcoholism, and later, his kidney disease.
But I do know that after my father returned to the Lord, God was with them, strengthening their marriage and making it better than it had been when they were young.


My parents even became ministers, getting their license and pastoring a tiny church as well as mistering to those in prisons.
Even in the last four years of his life, when illness began to take a toll on his body, he continued to try and work, and minister to others...which became a legacy of his determination, love and faith.
My mom, also showed her faithfulness to him by not holding past sins against him...but completely forgiving and loving him, unconditionally.

As I look back over their marriage- both before I came along and afterward, I am now beginning to see something a little more clearly.
There were the trouble years, times filled with turmoil, there is no doubt...
But but the big picture I am seeing is that God's mercy was there all the time.
When they asked for it, He gave it abundantly...redeeming their lives and their marriage.



I'm so glad they didn't give up on their marriage during those very hard years... which they could have easily done.

Because, with God, all things are possible.
And for them, the best was yet to be.

My mom recently turned 80, and he has been gone from her life for the past 19 years.
I know she still misses him incredibly.
But she knows she will see him again one day.

In the meantime, his memories continue to dwell with us.

So, because of this, I wish you, my sweet Mom and Dad,

A Happy Golden Anniversary.

Until you meet again...

"A Little Child Shall Lead them..."

Both of my little girls love going to church...and love Jesus.

But my youngest who is five, from a very early age, has displayed an unusally tender heart towards the things of God.

She insisted on asking Jesus into her heart when she was three. Some may doubt the reality of her conversion at such a young age, but I have seen the evidence that Christ is dwelling in her little heart.
Yes, she will grow in her understanding over the years...come to other moments in her young adult life when she will hopefully commit her life completely to Him.
But nevertheless, when she asked Him, He honored her request.

No, she is not a perfect child, believe me. But sometimes her tender and pure heart actually inspire me in my own daily walk. Funny, how sometimes we think we are training our children, and God will use them to teach us along the way.

Here are a few examples of how I've seen God manifesting Himself in her very young life...

A few months ago, she was in the bathroom, singing. As I strained to hear which song it might be, I realized she was making up a little song and singing it to God!
All about how she loved Him and thanking Him for being with her when she went to sleep at night. My heart melted...and I was in awe.

Whenever someone in our family isn't feeling well, she will always come over at some point and just start praying for us.

In the last few weeks, she has asked me more questions about God...and the other night was mentioning something about God, and then added,
"Sometimes I just think about Jesus a lot, because I love Him so much!"

This weekend, the girls had earned a tiny amount of change doing some extra little chores, and my oldest said something about how much would be the right amount of it to give to the Lord at Sunday School. My youngest was listening, and immediately started counting out some change for the Lord, too.

And a few minutes later, she presented me with a card she had made....for Jesus. She had written in by herself, drawn a picture of herself with Jesus, and had taped a couple coins into the inside page.

Today she took the card to Sunday School, but I told her that after we showed the card to her teacher and she gave the money, we could keep the card here, since Jesus can see and enjoy it here, just as well! Because, here at home it can be not only a keepsake, but a precious reminder.

(Look closely...she is running to Jesus and exclaiming His name as He embraces her.)




As adults, our spiritual lives can become hampered by responsibilities and by our own tendencies to just make everything more complicated than it needs to be.


At least that is the way it is with me.




But the Lord is showing me-through my child- that, more than anything, He just wants our hearts. He just wants us to love and trust Him...and to listen for His voice in our every day lives...and He loves it when we start singing to Him in the middle of the day- just because we're glad He is with us, always.


But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

Show and Tell Friday...and some niceness

Before I begin my Show and Tell today, I wanted to thank my friend, Rosemarie, at Growing with Julia, for awarding me with the Nice Matters award. She actually did so two weeks back, as I was preparing for our upcoming trip to Seattle...and I remember it completely brightened my morning! So I regret being so late in thanking her here, with all the busyness of life of this month...
Because I'll tell you all a little secret. I was really hoping to receive this one! I admit it.
It's simply beautiful...but most of all, I love what it represents.
And then, to be awarded by Rosemarie who is so very nice herself...well, that makes it all that more special. Thank you, Rosemarie!







Today, I'm participating for the second time in Show & Tell Friday, hosted by Kelli, at There's no place like home.
"Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, an antique find. Your show and tell can be old or new. Use your imagination and dig through those old boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and if there's a story behind your special something, that's even better!"


Back in the early days of our courtship, my now-husband gave me the first of many anniversary gifts. Our three month dating anniversary.

I guess what made this very first anniversary gift even more special to me was that is was a book...a hard-cover book containing the true story of the tender, and sometimes bittersweet romance between Sheldon and Jean Vanauken. It was written auto-biographically by Sheldon Vanauken- who was a friend to C.S. Lewis.
The couple falls deeply in love, and decides to build a "shining barrier" against anything that might mar this incredible love. A part of this barrier was what they called "The Appeal to Love" which what made them focus on what was best for them as a couple, and not individually.
They later become Christians, and begin their journey as a couple growing in Christ, within the Christian "intellectual" set- which includes Lewis.



I'll stop short of writing more about it, since this is a Show and Tell, after all...not a book review! But you need to understand just how powerful a statement giving me this book was, only three months into our dating relationship! He had written a tender inscription inside the front cover and this book became very special to both of us.

A little over a year later, we were married and we were transported across the country, leaving behind many of our belongings with family. This book mistakenly was one of them. He had lent it to his mother to read...and just before our engagement, she sadly passed away. For several years, this book sat in a box amongst some of her things, in one of the siblings garages...but at the time, we had no idea what had become of it.


A year and half into our marriage, on the 3-year anniversary of when we met, he surprised me with a new copy of this book.
This time, it was a paperback, with the couple's photo on the front, revealing their tender spirits in their faces.

Again, he had written inside the cover...an incredibly heartfelt and romantic inscription, comparing our special love to that of the other couple....
and of course, being now married and having gone through deployment separations and other trials with him, this story- and what he had written- meant even more to me.

A few years later, we were back in the west and settling down...just becoming parents. One of his siblings- I forget just who- brought the original book to him coming across it- and we were reunited with this special keepsake.

So, now I have two copies!
And though, normally in this situation, I would give one away...I just cannot bring myself to part with either one. So, they stay together, side by side, on our book shelf.

As if they were always meant to be together. A set. United.
And a reminder to us in our every day busy life and stresses, of our own "Appeal to Love"...

which took place, from that first day, forward...and remains today.

Wagon Wheels ...

Thanks so much for the well-wishes...I'm still not 100%, but am feeling much better! Hope those of you who were also sick are on the mend, too!

I feel like we just went from ultra-fabulous musical dance numbers...to wagon wheels and prairie bonnets, all in a span of 24 hours.

You see, my girls have been sort of wanting to watch High School Musical 2 again after we recorded it.
Just a few times.
And of course, when one of my favorite numbers would come on, it wasn't my fault that I would need to stroll through the room about then, and suddenly need to put my feet up.

But when they felt the need to put on a mini-version of the show for their daddy and me, and I seemed to hear the soundtrack in my head and in my dreams...I knew I was glad that the field trip with our new home school group which I had planned was finally here.

So...we suddenly stepped back in time and onto the Oregon Trail! The girls wore their most old-fashioned type dresses and donned their prairie bonnets (taken off from time to time)...and we spent a great learning time looking at actual artifacts brought over on the wagons and watching some pretty interesting films and presentations.
And of course, there's nothing like getting to hold a genuine buffalo chip!


(This little child's chair sitting in a wagon was actually brought over by one of the families on the trail.)


Later that day, I suggested we follow up with our time there by doing some....(shhh...homework.)

My five year old drew our family in a covered wagon, while I had my eight year old pretend to be a girl on the Oregon Trail and write a journal page, just like the real travelers sometimes did.
She said she would do this, only if I did one too. Since we're not officially back to school yet, I was being a little easy-going with this, so I agreed to her demand novel idea.

Here's a sampling of hers, complete with a few spelling errors:

"Yesterday we saw a lot of buffalo. My brother, James, wanted to cach one. My mother said he cold go outside the wagon but if he took 5 steps away from it, he'd wold have to sit in the back!"

Good for you, Ma! I like a pioneer woman who knows how to keep her kids in line.

(And not bad writing, I have to say!)

Here's a tiny bit of mine...

August 24th, 1857
"Just when I was pinin' away for my special china and things, my long-time friend surprised me on this my birthday. She had taken some of my keepsakes amongst her own...things I had to leave behind, saying' We just have our one youngin'- you have three. I could make room for a couple of plates and a figurine.' Not a better friend could I ever want for."

I was sitting in the living room with her, hurriedly scribbling this out- and thinking I was all clever with my wording...but of course she didn't understand half of what I was talking about. ;)

Anyway, it was good to "go out on the trail" today and away from modern life.

Still, musical phrases keep dancing through my brain, even now...


"We're going to have fun-in-the-sun...now that all our hard work...work...is done..."

Nothing like having each foot a couple centuries apart in one day to make you feel a little dazed.

How I wish I could dive into that pool with those crazy teens for that big finale.
But I'll have to settle for just pretending for the time being, as I dive, instead, into my big pile of laundry.

Have a great rest of the week to all of you!

Zoo pictures, High School Musical...and pass the cough syrup, please

Thank you to all who went along with us on our fast-paced trip last weekend!

I do think it was just a little too fast-paced, however...add my little one's germs attacking me, and then a 5-hour trip to our local zoo just 30 hours after getting back...and well, it's no wonder my immune system cried "uncle" and I'm still fighting off this stubborn bronchial virus.

I had looked forward to going to church this morning after being gone last Sunday...but when I could still barely eek out a voice this morning, I knew it was best to take one more day of rest.
I have another busy week ahead with swimming lessons, and a field trip I've organized with my new home school group...so this was my last day to take it easy- I just woke up from a nap next to my friend, the humidifier.

Speaking of the zoo last Tuesday, though... We went with my little one's good friend and her mom, for "Two-dollar Tuesday"!
But it was my first time going on bargain day...and even my friend could not prepare me for the crowd which awaited us as we tried to find parking, and then stood in the line which wrapped around half of the west hills. Shouldn't I have been lounging on the sofa, recovering from Seattle?
Still, we ended up seeing some wonderful things...

We saw the huge sea lions gliding through the water with such grace for their size...


A birds of prey show, featuring this majestic eagle, which we were able to see close up afterwards...

And something I never saw at this zoo before...crocodiles slinking around, seemingly right near our feet!
For us here in the northwest US, seeing crocs in real life is pretty exciting! (As long as they are within the safe confines of zoodom.)

Our friends treated us to the butterfly exhibit...and since I didn't get to go to the one in Seattle, I really loved strolling through this as they flitted all around us, sometimes landing on our hats or shoes.


Yes, all in all, it was a good time.



But now it is five days later...and the most excitement this weekend has been watching High School Musical 2 with my family...not just Friday night, but Saturday night, as well!
Even in my sickness, I downloaded some sing-along sheets for my oldest, and helped them make HSM2 decorations. (OK, why did that sound way more over the top just typing it then it seemed yesterday...) ;)
As most of you know by now, I am a true fan.
That's right...their fan base knows no age limits...even my 80 year old mom was watching Friday night!
And not even my brother in law, Uncle C, coming over during the movie and trying to pick apart the charms of our beloved Troy could dissuade me.
No, the world needs more Troys. Even with his new hair.

So excuse me while I crawl back into bed, breathe in the steam, and perhaps temporarily escape the world of extremely energetic teens (which, as much as I love them, are now just starting to make me feel really tired...), and crack open my book to see what's happening in the quiet world of Mitford.

Blessings!

Going Home Again...Part II

Before I launch into the second and final day of our fast-paced trip...humor me while I mention the following, in my most mature, 40-something way....

Tonight's the premiere of High School Musical 2!!! WOOOOOO!!!!!

My girls and I are having our own little popcorn party...
(Can you tell what kind of lunch pail I would have now if I suddenly became eight again? Move over, Partridge Family...)

OK, back to our regularly scheduled post...

Part 2

Sunday morning we awoke semi- bright and early, packed up our stuff, and headed downstairs to the simple continental breakfast before we left the hotel. The girls were in love with our very simple hotel room, and called out emotional farewells to it as we headed down to follow the scent trail of waffles and coffee.
Then... it was off to Seattle, just a short drive away!

We headed into town, but ended up (by accident) at a free museum about the Gold Rush.
We were actually stopping at that corner to sort of get our bearings...but this unexpected museum visit actually proved to be kind of fascinating...I love history, but knew basically nothing about the Gold Rush era!
This museum spotlighted the time where masses of folks boarded from that port in Seattle for Alaska's Klondike- and the excitement and hardships that they all faced- especially the wives and children who followed, trying to reunite with the husbands.
I can understand the pull of family ties and love...but not so sure I'd risk life and limb for 1\1000th of a chance of a little gold. (Striking it rich was a chance in 10,000!)

After this educational little stop, we found out from there how to best find the Seattle Center, and on their advice, parked our car and took a bus most of the way. Because most of the way happened to be in the "free zone" Sunday. We were down to our last few dollars, so free was a very good price.
(And you wouldn't believe how exciting just doing this is when you're 8 and 5 years old, and you never rode a city bus before!)

We decided that just my husband would take the girls into the Pacific Science Center, while I would find a coffee shop and stroll around the area a bit. Being short on cash as we were, I didn't think that both of us needed to pay admission to the science center...
Besides, would you believe my head ache had returned? Yes, it had.
That one little sample of pain pills in our 1st aid kit the day before didn't go very far, so I was on a quest to find some more and down them with a mocha- straight up.

It turned out that this science center was more fabulous that any of us knew, though! They were in there for a total of three hours- going into space capsules, rowing their own canoes through dinosaur infested waters, strolling amongst hundreds of butterflies...


Ok, next Seattle trip it's my turn to go in there!

When they finally emerged from all that fun, there was still no time for rest.
No sirree...Onto the next exciting thing to conquer- which in this case, was the Space Needle, itself!

This was the their first time even seeing it in person, so they were very excited to go to the top!
I was elected to be their escort now and their daddy stayed back down on terra firma.

They loved riding up the glass elevator- and trying to peer through the telescope once they reached the top.

Here's a couple views...


But by now, my poor girls were starving for nourishment (but the rest of the food we brought for the trip was in the car)...so with my couple remaining, pitiful dollars, I purchased a big pastry and a cookie...and we divided them up. Not prime rib, but it was enough to keep us going for awhile longer.
And at least they can say that they dined on top of the Space Needle.

Finally, we left Seattle Center to see just a couple more sights. We were headed just a few blocks to catch our "free" bus. Or so we thought...

Look at all our energy, that spring in the step...even after all we've already done! Little did we know that we would have more trouble catching the right bus back...and that we'd pretty much be seeing half of downtown Seattle by foot!


We walked...and walked...and walked.
But finally we came to the famed Pike Place Market.

You know, where the woman with the hyena laugh buys ingredients for dinner with Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle. (I'm just a bit partial to this movie since we saw this on our first blind date!)

(You can see the lighted sign on the right...)

As we strolled on through, there were a lot of interesting sights and sounds...

Here we stopped, along with others, to listen to some incredible classical music being played right there on the curb...


And then there were the sights...


Here's a man who likes to hide in his work...

And as for the smells...well, my littlest wasn't exactly crazy about all those fishy smells at first. (I wish I had a picture of her holding her nose!)

We kept wondering what they were really thinking about this big, colorful, open-air market...it was obvious that we weren't "in Kansas anymore"...

Finally, it was time to move on. From there we walked...and walked...and whined...and walked...

We saw all sorts of wonderful transportation passing us by...

There was this...

And this...And even this...


But still, we trudged on ahead, troopers that we were.

When we finally arrived back at the car, it was a happy moment indeed.
And even better a little while later when we stopped for burgers and fries- and a nice big Dr. P*pper for me.

It had been way too long in life since I tasted a Dr. P*pper. Way. too. long.

As you can imagine, the girls promptly fell asleep in the back seat on our way back...
and after coming home, my youngest promptly handed over her previous virus to me, wherein I can no longer talk above a whisper. (A mommy who can only whisper- lucky them!)
Hence, the long post you are once again reading this week...I can talk all I want this way- you lucky ducks, you! ;)

One last thing...on Tuesday, the 14th, it was the 14th anniversary of my first date with my husband...seeing the movie, Sleepless in Seattle on that first date. 14th on the 14th...and just in Seattle. So guess what we all watched Tuesday night? (Three guesses...come on, I know you can do it!) ;)

So, if you came along with me, so to speak, on our whirlwind weekend journey, I thank you.
And look- you don't even have sore feet or a nasty virus! So much easier this way, wasn't it?

In all seriousness, I am so thankful that our family had this trip together. Not every single moment was wonderful, and it came at a time where our budget was a bit tight.

But finding my old friend from third grade...hanging upside down on the monkey bars with my children where I once played...watching the forests and countryside pass by our windows...and showing our girls a new city for the first time...
all were, as the commercial says...
Priceless.

Going Home Again...

We're back...we're tired...
but wow, did we have a lot of fun!

We were gone only one night and two days, but we packed in so much in this short amount of time, I feel as though it's been a week!

And that is why I feel I must divide this all into two parts.
And even at that, be prepared to sit back and relax...depending on the time of day, pour yourself a big ole cup of java...
The first part is my path down memory lane...where I visited my old suburban town, my old grade school- and most importantly, my old grade school friend, Mavis...
(For how Mavis found me, you can read the story here.)

But first, let me start at the beginning...

Saturday, before we could even get underway, we had to take our youngest to the pediatrician, since just when I thought she was about over her 2-week cough, it seemed worse. I knew I couldn't relax unless I made sure it wasn't anything serious. Thankfully, she was able to get looked at right away- and with no bronchitis, pneumonia or any nasty ear infections, we got the green light to be on our way!

We had DVDs and audio tapes all packed...but at the last minute, couldn't find the cord for our portable DVD player...
plus we had taken my husband's car, which meant... no tape player!
Yikes! What were our girls going to do in the car for over three hours?!
Well, would you believe it...they actually looked out the window at the interesting sights and scenery passing before them, chatting excitedly...and didn't complain of boredom once!
Just think...if they had had a movie to watch all that time, they would have missed the changing landscapes that they had never seen before... a blessing in disguise.

The three hours went by quickly, and before we knew it, we were in my old town, Kent, where our hotel awaited. I hadn't slept well the night before (between my little one's coughing and my own excitement) so hubby and I crashed for a little while, as two little impatient girls kept asking us how many more minutes we were going to just lie there. They should have been tired but strangely enough- just were not. They only seemed anxious to plop into the indoor swimming pool they heard all about. Hubby managed to doze but I just couldn't fall asleep with two excited girlies milling about and bouncing off the hotel walls. Finally their daddy got up and took them down to the pool and I freshened up...because by now, it was almost time to meet Mavis!

An hour later, I found myself walking into the coffee shop, my heart beating fast...and there she was, standing up to greet me.
My Mavis- after 35 years. She looked beautiful!

We embraced, and then we began the incredible process of catching up with each other-almost through every decade of our lives...looking at old pictures (she obediently brought hers at my request, but I forgot mine!) and comparing memories of our childhood get-togethers, sleepovers, and all the various classmates that colored our mutual third grade experience.

The only thing marring this wonderful reunion for me was one of those bad head aches which had sneaked up on me, due to travel and lack of sleep...and wouldn't you know, I hadn't packed my trusty ibuprofen.
As thrilled as I was to see her, I was afraid I might not be appearing as perky as I felt down deep inside, but I mentioned it to her, and she was very understanding. We agreed that after coffee we'd be on a quest to hunt down some ad*ils somehow.

In spite of that annoying headache, though, I just loved catching up with her life...and seeing who she turned out to be.
I think if I were just meeting her today, having never known her as a child, she would still be some one I would really want to be friends with. She has turned out to be a beautiful woman, inside and out...a successful business woman and entrepreneur... sweet, and full of life...and best of all, she has told me that she is a Christian.
To know this childhood friend of mine also loves the Lord is a wonderful thing.

After chatting over coffee, we finally headed back to my hotel to pick up my now very sleepy family...wake them up...and drive over to a nice Italian restaurant that Mavis had picked out.
And my goodness, from the first moment my girls met her, she was instantly a hit with them! They don't always take to strangers right off, but it was if they knew Mavis all their lives, and treated her just like an auntie. (In fact, they said they would love for her to marry one of their single uncles and have it be so...heehee)

Here we are, all helping with the hidden word puzzle on the kids' menu...such concentration!



Although I don't have pictures of us as children posed together, here's how we looked as friends back in the third grade...







And here we are, finally reunited this past weekend, after 35 years...






Isn't she just so pretty?
(And look- she got taller than me! No fair!)












I hated saying our good-byes in the parking lot and going our separate ways...but we promised to keep in touch and not lose each other again...and with only three hours between us, we hope to get together sometime in the near future.

I just thank the Lord He allowed me to connect with not only a happy time in my not always happy childhood...but with the dear person she turned out to be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After this emotionally rewarding time...our family drove from the restaurant that evening directly to my old street to find the house that I had lived in...
but so many new houses had now been suddenly added- even new culdesacs....
and after much deliberation I sadly came to the conclusion that my house was torn down and a new one built in it's place. Some of the old houses around it were still standing, so I was so confused trying to find it...but I'm quite sure none of the remaining homes were mine.
I had visited the old neighborhood 14 years ago- at that time it was still there. I
Yes, it was a little sad...even for my girls, who had hoped to see it...but such is "progress".

I lived just a block from my old grade school, so we stopped there so that my girls could play on the same grounds where I did as a child.

Here is my oldest daughter and I playing hop scotch in the exact spot I played countless times before...

I had so many fond memories of this cemented square area...and they now have added this great painted map of the states!
My husband had them hook on like a train to show how he and I had driven across the country as newlyweds...



Then we went out to the grassy part of the playground...they had changed everything around, but two original bar areas remained that I had actually played on as a child.
I had to try it out for old times' sake...

(Can you tell that by now, I got my ibuprofen and it was kickin' in?)
Then my oldest daughter had to try...

(Okay, which one's the mom, which one's the kid?)


And then, feeling brave, she tried it on the other bar...


We really had such a great time!
True, it was a little disheartening to see how run down the school yards currently were, though...weeds popped up through the cement and everywhere we looked. Hopefully, they'll do something with it before school starts in three weeks...but then again, the houses that all seemed new when I was a kid are all completely run down, as well. I guess that is one of the negatives about "going home again".
But the negatives for me were far outweighed by the joy I felt on this trip back to my childhood town.
The privilege of seeing both my old school and my old school chum in the same day was incredible.
And playing with my own children on the grounds that I have always tucked sweetly inside my memory was almost surreal.


We all went back to the hotel, exhausted, but happy...and we would certainly need our rest, because the next day- in Seattle- would prove to be just as busy for us!

(Stay tuned for Part 2!)