V is for Volcanoes are awesome!!!

Well, not awesome with the massive destruction and spewing of hot rocks and choking ash.
But awesome because they make the planes stop.

Bad for the people on those plane sure.....But Great if one of those people is my extra super awesomely amazing sister-in-law who I haven't seen in a couple years!

Confused yet?

So there I was sitting at the computer, reading the news LoLCats, when my brother-in law called.
Seems his wife and her sister are heading up to Alaska and were told "Nope, no way Jose. Mount Redoubt is blowing her top off as we speak"
So after we talked briefly about the situation and my approximate distance to SeaTac airport my sister-in-law called.

She is currently trying to rebook her flight, but will most likely be spending at least the night at Casa Abplanalp.
Yay!

Do you think she'll mind the full "slumber party" activities? Paint our nails, do our hair, make a fort in the living room?

A girl can dream.

UPDATE: Sadly, my awesomely amazing sissy was able to get on another flight and left before the slumber party. Thankfully they made it safe and sound. I'll keep the party supplies for the next time.

OPSEC Schmopsec

Please click the above comic to get the full effect.



Yes, this is how the conversation goes. No, I am NOT lying when I say "I don't know"
OPSEC is a very real and very omnipresent being who will sneak into our homes, steal our sugar and toss over our laundry baskets if we divulge any information.

I know. Being that I live in the same house as him and am privy to all sort of personal information regarding Chris...the Navy doesn't seem to think I deserve that TS clearance. Therefore I am on a "NEED TO KNOW" basis. If they think I need to know, they might tell me. Otherwise, I am as clueless as the rest of you.

Of course the are required to tell me when he is coming home. But I swear, many MANY times, I don't know until 24 hours in advance.
If I don't call you as soon as I know...forgive me. It's not that you are being "ignored" or "deliberately left out" I promise...I'm not that mean. At least.....I'm not that mean when I know Chris is coming home :)

When he leaves quickly and without warning please understand that saying things like "does he even live there anymore" are hurtful and mean and simply show your lack of knowledge on how the military operates. That's ok, that's how they like you civilians to be. Clueless.

Also, if he doesn't call you when he is shipping out with 24 hours notice...maybe it's because he wants to spend what precious few hours he has left with us, his family.

So ends my lesson on "How the military doles out information to the families" If I've offended you...I am sorry, But then again....maybe you need to think about WHY you are offended.

So I am sorry I can't tell you more. I am sorry I don't know when he can write you. Heck, I don't know when he can write ME or his daughter! I can tell you that submarines do NOT have telephones and therefore the chances of you getting a phone call are slim to not gonna happen.

A very special THANK YOU! to Julie Negron, the creator of "Jenny" the comic seen above! You should check her out at http://jennyspouse.com/

G is for....Gracie is Gifted!!!

Yes, you read that right!

Warning: Conspicuous Parental gloating. Read with caution!

Today I had my tri-annual parent teacher conference. You know, where you sit in little chairs in your child's classroom while the teacher tells you all about what they are learning, where they are strongest and where they need improvement.

Ok, so first I have to say I have serious "teacher anxiety." Some subconscious impulse in my brain tells me that I'm going to get in trouble for passing notes or whispering to Sarah. If I know the teacher well enough I get over it. Like Gracie's kindergarten teacher in Pullman was a good friend of mine and her kindergarten/first grade teacher in South Carolina I got to know on a first name basis after a year and a half working together. Not to mention she was almost a decade younger than me. I know, scary. But I digress....

Gracie's second grade teacher....is much older than me and reminds me of a composite drawing of all my elementary school teachers combined.

So there I am, sitting in the little chair at the little desk waiting to be told I can't pass notes anymore. We go over her papers. She's doing great in math, reads at a 6th grade level but I am assured that she can read much higher. Perhaps not comprehend the material but can read at an 9th grade level "at least." She told me the highest the test goes is sixth grade but Gracie is higher. Ok...good. She reads 182 words a minute and can comprehend what she read. Good. Very good.

She told me she is sensitive and mature, kind, considerate, organized, focused and responsible. Ok, I know most of these things...however the 8 year old girl who lives in this house hasn't cleaned her room in roughly 8 years, and is slightly spastic and hyper. But I'm glad to know at school at least, she is "organized, focused and responsible." Especially considering my biggest gripe from teachers was I daydreamed to much and wasn't organized.

So far, so good.

So then she tells me areas that need attention. Handwriting. Surprise. It's a genetic trait. My husband writes like a brilliant doctor on crack and my teachers always got after me about sloppy penmanship. Her teacher noted that Gracie seems to be in a "race" to be done the fastest. So she writes sloppy in her effort to be first.

Could be worse.

Then she pulls out the test scores. Recently they took a gifted program cognitive abilities test. Guess what, Gracie is in the 98% in the nation!
She is officially "gifted!" It's on her permanent record and everything!
As if I were somehow slow in comparison, she spelled it out for me. "If you take 100 random students from all over the country, she would be smarter than 98" I had to laugh a little. I'm sure the drool puddle and mouth agape may have made her think I wasn't the sharpest crayon in the box, but I assure you, I was just stunned.

Next year she will take part in their gifted student program and as her teacher kindly pointed out, is on the right path to "Harvard or MIT" Wow! MIT and she's only in second grade!!!

Ok, so she will have to actually finish elementary school first. Then high school.....but Wow!
My baby is like, all smart and stuff! I for some unknown reason am having a total Bill and Ted moment trying to describe it. But I am unbelievably proud of her.

Congratulations Gracie! You Rock!!!!

Random Acts of Kindness

So I have been dying of a cold for the past 4 days. Ever since I watched my husbands sub pull away I've felt sick. Really, truly sick. Like the flu. Not he's leaving sick...but real I have a fever sick.
Today I felt a tiny bit better and so decided to go to Starbucks.

So there I am, waiting in the drive thru. The truck in front of me has USMC stickers and a "retired Marine" license plate frame. He also has various hunting stickers dotting the back window.

I look at his mirror, he's looking back at my car. He smiled, I smiled. That was the end of our encounter.

My Mom is with me, so we order two venti drinks, an oatmeal and a slice of lemon loaf.

I have to add, as he is at the window, I notice he hands the girl his travel mug. I'm pleasantly surprised that this retired Marine and avid hunter is also concerned with the environment. Surprise #1 of the day.

So Mom and I are chatting away about little things.
Finally it's my turn at the window. The girl had told me when I ordered that it would be $14.95. I have my Starbucks gold card ready to take off 10% when the girl at the window says

"Oh, the man in the truck paid for yours. He said he wanted me to thank you for your smile and your service to our country"

What? He what? Ok, I have been to Starbucks many, many time while they are doing the "pay it forward" thingy. People pay for the car behind them. But never has it happened unprompted. Never once has someone genuinely wanted to pay for a strangers coffee.

This Marine, when he smiled at me could see my DOD stickers on my windshield. Being a retired Marine, he actually knew what they meant. he knew that the blue sticker at the bottom means active duty officer. Not a civilian or contractor. Active duty. Real military.

I in turn played Pay it Forward. The car behind me was a $5 tab. So I paid it. Beats the $15 I was going to pay. I felt like sharing the wealth. Passing it along to another.

I wish I could meet that Marine and thank him. His little random gesture meant so much to me. Chris deployed on Saturday. He had no way of knowing that...but our "Service to our Country" is felt that much more right now.
You have no idea how heartwarming it is to be thanked.

So thank you Random Retired Marine at the East Bremerton Starbucks Drive-thru. You have made my day.
Now, go out there and thank a service member, or their spouse.

God Speed Boys.....

Today is the day. The other woman aka the USS Kentucky took my husband on a Pacific cruise for a few months. Of course being a vengeful harpy, she decided he needed to leave his family at roughly the same time the bars close.
Needless to say it was pitch black, cold and miserable when we dropped him off. The goodbyes went as smoothly as they can in that situation.

Chris and I do our very best to "rip the band-aid off quickly" as we like to say. In other words, we hate long goodbyes and getting teary eyed. So to an outsider, we look like it's just another day. A quick hug and kiss then he's off. To the rest of the world it may seem cold and unattached but it's how we cope with goodbyes. Not to mention, I have to teach my daughter that it's ok to cry, but it's not ok to dwell on it. I know people who focus on the negative and teach their kids that it's ok to get sympathy for it.

This is our life. This is what we do. This way of life puts a roof over our heads, food on our table and clothes on our backs. It's normal to miss Daddy, but we have to deal with it. Stiff upper lip.

Gracie is awesome. She handles deployments like a trooper. I am so proud of her. She cried a little this morning, but was thrilled to see the sub leave and waved and yelled and was all smiles when her Daddy's boat went by. Don't get me wrong, she is a total Daddy's girl...but she is proud of him and what he does. She knows his job is important and doesn't resent him when he has to leave.

Oops...I got sidetracked. Anyway, he is gone. Off to save the world and play hide and seek.
Oh...did I mention he was driving the boat today? Yeah, he was. Pretty cool huh? That's an awesome sight, a submarine. Then top it off with "my husband is in control of that" Wow!!! How many people can say that?? Like .0000005 % of the worlds population? Yeah....I'm a little proud. Thanks for noticing.

Fun with the Fishes

Yesterday I chaperoned Gracie's class field trip to the aquarium.

100 second graders (5 classes), a ferry boat, a five block walk and a crowded public building filled with hundreds of others second graders. That my friends is a recipe for fun and excitement!

I was lucky. I had Gracie and three of her closest friends in my group. So it wasn't so bad. But man alive, what a zoo.
The aquarium has undergone some renovations and looks fantastic. A lot of the place is the same as I remember when I was little and driving my own Mom crazy on a field trip, but so much has changed.
The kids loved the sea lions, otters and harbor seals. They played and hammed it up for the kids. That was a treat. The touch pool was another hit. Lots of ewwww's and yucks when they touched the sea cucumbers and starfish. The Giant Pacific Octopus was another big hit. He tried to climb out of the mammoth tank, much to the delight of my daughter and her friends.

I also learned a few things. On the ferry ride home one of Gracie's friends told me that his Mom never volunteered for anything at school because "her job is to important." So I asked him where she worked. He told me the name of a Doctor's office locally and I replied that "yes, a doctor is a very important job and people really need her to be at work" you know, trying to make him feel better. He then replied "oh she's not a doctor, she sits at a desk and plays on the computer and talks to people on the phone all day" then he took a long pause and added "come to think of it, that's not very important because that's what she does at home too"
So I think I just sent this poor boy into a sudden realization that his Mom doesn't take an active interest in him or his school. Oops!

Other than early therapy for the friend...it was a successful day. Gracie and I had a great time and plan to get back there very soon. It was a lot of walking and my thighs are angry with me and currently not speaking to me, but they'll get over it and thank me for the exercise when they feel better.

Wee Bit O'Blarney or, 10 Things you didn't know about the Irish

Today is St. Patrick's Day. The day everyone claims Irish decent, searches their yards for four leaf clovers, seeks the elusive leprechaun and his pot of gold, eat corned beef and cabbage and drinks green food coloring laced with beer.

Well, I don't claim Irish decent only on March 17th. I am Irish 365 days out of the year. My grandmother was born in Macroom, Co. Cork, Ireland. She had one heck of an accent and taught me the ways.

I'd like to dispel a few myths for you that irk me something fierce.

1. We don't eat corned beef. It simply isn't a food in Ireland. Cabbage...yea, lots of that...but corned beef is an American dish.
Our traditional food on this day is the usual fare....stew. Which is in the slow cooker as we speak!

2. Soda bread does NOT have raisins. Ok, I'm guilty of this because frankly...it's better with them. However it's not traditional. if your soda bread has raisins, it's actually called "Spotted Dog"
Real soda bread is bland and has very little, if any sugar. No butter and none of the extras to make it tasty. It's a filler. Dip it in your stew and it tastes good. Other than that....make Spotted Dog.

3. the only Green food item I can think of is cabbage. Green food coloring does NOT make something Irish. Seriously...that's like saying all Americans eat Red, White and Blue food. yummy, dyed blue hot dogs. Tasty. Get my point? Quite frankly, there is nothing appetizing about green food unless it's a vegetable.

4. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Not the patron saint of the beer keg. I grew up with this day being a religious holiday. Church, followed by a big family dinner....of stew. Think Thanksgiving....with soda bread and boxty pancakes.

5. The Irish do make a tasty beer. nobody can argue that. However, just because I'm Irish does not mean I'm a drunk. In fact, I rarely drink alcohol. A good Guinness is fine once in a blue moon...but I don't drink all that often.

6. That brings me to pubs. The pub is short for Public house. Where the town folk come to socialize. Drinking is optional, but just like any other culture alcohol is a part of it for many reasons including health! Children are allowed in the pub. Think of it as an old fashioned chat room with music and food.

7. Yes, potatoes are the staple of Ireland. So those of us of Irish decent have indeed eaten our fair share of potatoes. In fact, I can cook a potato 1000 different ways. You take away my potatoes, I'll break your face. that said, I also know the difference between russets, yukons, red Potomac and Jersey royals.

8. Dancing...."can you dance a jig?" Seriously? How stereotypica....yea, I can. However a jig is really just a set dance (you've seen Riverdance) of girls lined up with their arms board straight at their sides making happy clicking sounds with their fast moving feet. I prefer a Ceili. Group dancing. You know "the Waves of Tory" Oh, well, my second grader does...so there. On that note, when I was a kid Riverdance was just one of the many gender-bending thoughts in Michael Flatley's head. So I had to learn the hard way....from my family. Luckily for my little Clare, Irish dance was all the rage when she was born, so there are schools and Feis' and all the fun stuff that only happened in Boston until 5 years ago.

9. Someone said this to me not a week ago "The Irish and the English are basically the same"......deep breath.......find a happy place......No, they are not. I won't go into the Catholic vs. Protestant debate. You are intelligent people, if you want to know....go forth and seek. I will simply say, that statement is like saying America and England are the same. Why did they bother with that silly revolution?

10. We are devoutly religious. My Grandmother crossed herself a good 752 times a day. Had a prayer for everything from waking up alive in the morning to making bread to tying her shoes. No joke. Being deeply religious also lends itself to being deeply superstitious. I remember being tossed outside when I was a girl because I was whistling in my Grandmothers kitchen. It's bad luck for a girl to whistle in a house. If you find a four leaf clover (a real one, not a hybrid) always keep it on you and never show it to anyone! Bet you didn't know that one!

Have fun today. Take some time to remember why we celebrate the day and go to the local pub. Enjoy a Guinness without the food coloring. Try some soda bread and stew. Put on your green and enjoy the day.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone
Beannachtai Na Fheile Padraig!

Happy Birthday Chris

Happy Birthday to you
You live in a Zoo
You look like a monkey
and you smell like one too!

Ok he actually looks very handsome and smells like Kenneth Cole Reaction...but I digress....

Today Chris turns 31. My 6'4" leprechaun isn't hiding a pot of gold, just himself. However I do know where to find him...he's hiding on a submarine.

Happy Birthday Chris, we love you more than life!!!!

The Universe is speaking...are you there????

So in my last post I regaled fond memories of an old friend who has recently passed away. A tragic car accident took his life this past week. I mourned him, honored him and for a day or two took the perils of driving quite seriously.

That is until today...it would seem. You see, today the universe has again reminded me that driving is indeed dangerous.
So there we are, minding our own business happily driving to the Family Pancake House. My Father-in-law ( or as I like to call him Daddy-O) is visiting us for the weekend and decided to take the fam to breakfast.

Chris was driving his tank of an SUV. Daddy-O in the passenger seat and Gracie and I in the back. Chris was slowing to turn into the parking lot when.....BAM!!!!!! rear ended.

Teeth shattering crunch, screeching metal and tires and then silence. It took about a millisecond for my brain to process the information and realize that we had indeed just been in a car accident.
I immediately turn to Gracie and start patting her down asking things like "are you ok" and "do you hurt" over and over again. Checking to make sure all her hair was still there and her fingernails were in place.

She, totally confused by this asks "what just happened" as I damn near scream out "we were just in a wreck...are you ok?"

In case you were wondering....that is exactly the wrong thing to tell an eight year old. Water works start flowing. She was scared of course..but for the most part unscathed.
Had I been thinking it could have come out more like "well honey, that bad man in the truck behind us just tapped Daddy's bumper" or something a little more sugar coated than that.

To give you an idea of the impact...I was wearing a headband on my head. After the wreck I put my hand on my head and realized it was missing....where did we find it? Against the back tailgate of the car. It went flying, off my head all the way back there. So now let's imagine what my head did during that time.

Anyway....during all of the patting down and checking for a pulse on my daughter, I hear my darling husband shout out "Like hell you are" only to realize we are driving away.

Why? Oh...see, the bad man in the truck...decided he didn't need to stop. In fact it seems he was in a rather big hurry to get wherever he was headed and now he was running late. He needed to speed, run red lights and drive like his bad man truck was going to explode if he stopped.

By this point I'm on my cell phone with 911. Giving the girl on the other end a play by play of the chase. Luckily we were able to get a license plate number and full detailed description of the truck. I'm sure the phone tape of that conversation is entertaining at the very least.

She kept telling me we needed to stop...break off pursuit. I told her I wasn't driving and it was illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving so she couldn't talk to Chris at the moment. At one point I even said "Ha! if we weren't chasing him you wouldn't know that he just turned right on Maple!" So, they have a zig-zag map of all the roads he took to escape.

Finally he lost us. Chris was angry...but not angry enough to kill us all or break any laws. So the bad man got away.
When the police finally did show up they already knew who he was and where he lived. So that's good news. He of course wasn't there. But eventually he will be and they will find him.

Everyone is doing alright. Gracie's back hurt for a bit. She was really scared and shaking, but she was dancing within the hour so I can only assume she is fine. Chris and Daddy-O are both fine.

I on the other hand have been dizzy ever since. Sore neck, back and hip. An hour or so later I was sick to my stomach, but I'm chalking that up to stress and nerves and you can't convince me otherwise.
And yes, IF the vertigo doesn't improve by the morning I will haul myself into the ER to get checked out.

I am so thankful that is all that happened. Chris' Explorer has a bent bumper and a dent in the back. Had it been any other car, the results could have been disgustingly different. Everyone walked away from it...shaken, but unscathed.

It could have been worse...I called my friend Stacy when I got home to tell her the story, only to have her say "I can top that. I killed my cat today"

Seems she started her truck and her cat had been sleeping in the engine. So RIP Stitch.

Once again the Universe has reminded me that it could be a lot worse....oh, and driving is dangerous to your health....or your cats health, as the case may be.

UPDATE: So the bad man in the truck reported his car stolen a mere 20 minutes after the accident and...miraculously, the vehicle was found by a "friend" not an hour later. But have no fear, the police aren't picking up what he's putting down and are going all CSI on the guy and the truck. They are well aware he was driving and they won't let him get away. I hope.

Life is Short

Today's lesson is simple. Tell the people you care about how much they mean to you.

Today I received the tragic news that an old friend had died in a car accident. A horrible, nightmarish accident.
I hadn't seen my friend in years. I honestly don't believe I have seen him since I moved away from Seattle in high school. But I never forgot him. Nobody could. He was always smiling. Had beautiful green eyes and a smile that lit up a room. He was handsome, funny and sweet. He was a huger. He would hug everyone when he saw them.
Junior high was tough for me. Not because of the awkward pre-teen years, but because my Mom was battling cancer. I was depressed, moody and scared. Not to mention....a middle school girl!

Usually the very first person I would see every morning was Nate. His locker was a couple down from mine. He would smile and give me a big hug.
When I was going through, probably the roughest time of my life...Nate was my own personal sunshine.
Now that sun is gone. I never told him how much his morning pep talks cheered me up. I never let him know that his hug was something I looked forward to and I never told him how truly important he was to me. I never got the chance to let him know that in 7th grade, in my dark place he was a shining angel.
I wonder if he knows it now? Rest in Peace Nathan, you are back home with the angels.

Rally Cry

Hello again friends. I am here to ask you to take some time and read a blog by my friend Clare. If you look at the bottom of this post, you will see a link for RunMomRun. Please go and read her story.
I can give you a little background and tell you the story from my perspective but I can't do it justice. You have to read her words.
You see, almost 10 years ago I met one of my dearest friends. Clare. She and her husband had moved to Chicago the same time me and my husband had. The guys were in a Navy school together and Clare and I were bored housewives. So naturally we clicked. We spent hours drinking coffee, shopping and chatting. For a year were were inseparable. When we both moved to our new duty stations, her Norfolk, Va and us in San Diego, Ca. I cried. I wondered if I would ever see my friend again and if we would drift apart once life got in the way.
Well, I'm happy to report that hasn't been the case.

Anyway, my point. When we started hanging out, she told me about her son Johnathon. At that point in time, she was less than a year removed from his death and the wound was still fresh. She honored me with her candor and trust on such a sensitive subject.

She told me all about Johnathon's likes and dislikes. His favorite music, toys, cartoons and food. I got to know this beautiful little boy through her. We cried, we laughed and most importantly, we remembered him.
He loved elephants...and I remember I gave her an elephant that belonged to my Grandmother. I didn't know why I had brought it with me to Chicago. I could have very easily left it back in Oregon with my Mom. I remember when I packed it wondering what the heck I was packing it for. I put it in a closet and forgot about it, and only brought it out when I suddenly realized, she was meant to have it. She still has it. To this day, I can't look at a stuffed elephant without a little lump in my throat welling up.

I was one of the privileged few who got to know Johnathon. Even though I never met him in life, I feel like I truly know this little boy. Very generously, she gave me a little picture of him that is tucked away in my photo album with all my most loved family members. I cried the day she gave it to me. After all, she couldn't take any more pictures of him ever again and she was giving one to me.

As I said before, when I met Clare the wound was still fresh. Her emotions were raw and she still didn't quite have a grasp on it all. I knew the stories of how she coped after his death, but I also watched her transformation happen right before my very eyes.

I would never have believed you could recover from the death of a child. But I didn't know Clare before. Her road was rocky, tiresome and so unbearable at times a lesser woman would have given up. But I watched her climb her way, arduously, one tiny step at a time until she was finally almost a complete human again. Her eyes have a quiet pain in them, but they smile now. Her laugh on occasion has a hint of heartbreak, but it's hardy. She is whole again although a bit battered and bruised with battle scars from the personal war she has fought.

Today she is taking on a new challenge. She is running. Running in marathons raising awareness and money so that you and I never have to go through what she has. She has a very simple goal. Prevent another child from dying of cancer. With Johnathon as her inspiration, she runs. His struggle, his fight for life, is her motivation to keep moving. Forward Motion. Always stay in forward motion.
Clare is the strongest person I know. She would be the first to challenge me on that. But it's true. She has strength of character, willpower and a heart the size of Texas. My Clara is named after her because I knew, if she could somehow inherit a tiny fraction of her disposition she would be able to do anything.
So now friends, I ask that you read her blog. Hear her words. And if moved, help her cause and donate. If you are moved by what she says, perhaps you could pass it on to your friends and family. Together let's help eliminate childhood cancer forever.

http://forwardmotion-runmomrun.blogspot.com/
http://www.active.com/donate/rallyathletes/RUNMOMRUN

Who says you can't go home again?

Friday I had the pleasure of joining a group of old friends for brunch in Edmonds. Some of these girls I haven't seen in almost 20 years!

An old childhood school friend, Jennifer was visiting her parents for a couple weeks and thanks to the wonders of modern technology we have all reconnected via Facebook. She decided that while she was here, she would like to get a sort of informal reunion set up. After weeks of planning and getting schedules coordinated, the day finally came.

I got Gracie off to school and headed out to catch my ferry. I was so super excited I was actually singing in my car. I rode the Edmonds-Kingston ferry across Puget Sound. Once I was there, I drove a few short blocks to the Pancake Haus. If you know Edmonds, you know this is a fantastic little place to eat breakfast.

I was a little early, so I popped into Petosa's grocery next door to see if anything had changed. Nope....it's all the same! Exactly as I remember.

It was time for the bruch date so I headed over to the Haus. I was the first to arrive because I have a really annoying habit of being punctual.

Shortly after I arrive and before I could remove my coat, Jennifer came in followed by her Mom and son. We exchanged big hugs and I was shocked at how grown up she looked. She was 16 the last time I saw her. She still looked like a little girl. Today, she is an absolutly georgous woman! Her Mom looks exactly as I remember and her son is a doll.

Kolleen quickly followed Jennifer. I have seen Kolleen countless times since I moved away as we have been better at staying in touch. But as always it was still great to see her.

Following her was Sarah. My childhood best friend. I haven't seen Sarah in years but we do keep in touch often. I was so thrilled to see her again in person that I almost cried. She brought her beautiful two month old baby Stella who I wouldn't let go for a second. Sarah looks the same, acts the same and IS the very same Sarah I spent every single day of my life from first through ninth grade with.

About that time Tatum, Libby and Liz joined us. Libby just looked at me and said "where the hell have you been the past 15 years" to which I could only reply..."everwhere" If you know Libby, you will understand when I say...Libby is Libby. I was glad to see time hadn't changed her a bit.

I was so excited to see Elizabeth again. She was one of my very best friends back in the day. She and my old best friend Catherine quickly because BFF's after I moved to Oregon...so I held some sort of anomosity toward her for a long time. (fueled by the fact that she looks like a Supermodel)
But those feelings have been long buried in the way back machine and I'm looking forward to making new memories with her in the future. She still looks beautiful and she brought her husband Jay who is a really nice guy and is from Poulsbo so they visit often!

I didn't get a chance to catch up with Tatum as much as I would have liked. She looks georgous and I hardly recognized her. She brought her adorable daughter Katlyn who was quite annoyed with me for not bringing Gracie.

Anyway, we spent 3 very quick hours chatting about where we've been, what we have done and our children and husbands. Gossip about friends who were absent (all good I promise) Sarah and I acted like giddy teenagers again and gossiped about Twilight and what our exboyfriends were doing. Turns out mine is a doctor!

I was sad that the party had to break up so quickly. We are planning another one as soon as we can. It was so great to see everyone again. This is one of the main reasons I'm so thankful that I live back "home"

Sarah and I are planning dinner soon. Kolleen and I...well, we see each other a lot anyway, but we are still planning playdates and Liz and I are planning coffee when she gets over to Poulsbo.
All in all, it was a fantastic day spent with some amazing old friends.

I guess you really can go home again.