A Special Kind of Friendship

Sorry, I realize that I told you I'd let you know what car we decided on, but I've been feeling funky this week and SO not inspired to post anything.

We did get that Camry. We drove it to Tennessee. We got 30 miles to the gallon on the trip, that's taking the short way through the mountains, so we think that's pretty darn good. Jay even let me drive part of the way. I only stalled three times! But in my defense, it was in horrible traffic, through town, on a hill. It's gonna take some time to get used to driving a stick shift again.

We arrived just as they were eating. We're like that. It was so good to see everyone. It always amazes me how so much time can go by since we last saw each other, but we quickly got settled into our old habits of picking on one another and laughing so much.

Meagan had put together a sweet photo presentation of Nana for us all to see. They made me sit in the chair between Judy and Linda (Nana's daughters), I didn't want to sit there because I knew they'd be crying and I didn't want to feel uncomfortable (isn't that nice of me?). About 3 minutes into the thing, I'm bawling. Not a demure little tears going down the cheeks, but an ugly face, hide with the hand, quick breath kind of cry. (lovely) Part of it was missing my own sweet grandparents, part of it was that it was pictures of not just Nana, but her husband Linn and then of Susie, their daughter that died way too young of cancer a few years ago. All the years of sweet memories came flooding back and I think I was mourning how time has changed so much in our lives. It's been 17 years of being friends with Jeff & Kristy. I'm so thankful for the constant of their friendship and that the two things that keep us so linked is our ability to laugh at each other and our love and commitment to God.

This time we had probably one of the best times we've ever had going and visiting them, and it was only for the weekend. Jeff & Kristy spoiled us. First with giving Calvin his dream experience, watching Indiana Jones in the theater room, he got the comfy chair, and did I mention that they have the room all decorated with the Indiana Jones style motif? Oh yeah, the kid was in his own personal heaven. Then the three boxes of sugar cereal that they put out for us for our breakfast, oh yeah, thanks! Dave was lovin being with Nathan again, video games, basketball, trying to mimic his walk, it was all good.

The guys played a lot of basketball. And that's John (Kristy's dad) roaming the court, we nicknamed him 'Frogger'. (you'd have to know your video games in order to get that joke!)





We spent lots of time out on the deck talking and loving the view.


the view from the top deck of their house.


They drove us by the Bristol raceway which was in full swing for the big race that was happening that night. Oh my goodness, a whole lot of beer was going on there. And the best in people watching ever! Jay flashed a guy that was holding up a sign "show us your ta-ta's"....yeah, the guy was thrilled! That race crowd, it's a different world.

Kristy took Dave to the local firework's store and loaded him up with all things explosive and that night they put on quite the show down on the dock. We had a bonfire with hot dogs and smores and got bitten by several mosquitoes.

**I was told by my husband to share this story, so don't be getting all mad at me, that I shouldn't embarrass Jeff like this....They have some serious mosquitoes out there, being right on the lake, probably doesn't help them any. So one night the family was all sitting outside and all the kids started noticing that Jeff smelled like a car. He just had this odor about him that made him smell like Armoral. After about an hour, he comes walking out of the garage with these wipes that he's wiping up and down his arm and says...."I don't think these bug wipes work, I'm still getting bitten"....the label on the canister said, 'bug away', but it was for wiping dead bugs off the front end of your vehicle. That Jeff, he's a sharp one! And he will never live it down. :o)

The last morning was breakfast at Brian & Breanna's. This is the girl that I taught in pre-school. She has a husband, they have a house, she can cook. What the heck? How old am I? They are too cute.


yep, pretty much sums up the feelings of Father's towards their Son-in-Law's everywhere.

It was sad driving away. We only live 4 1/2 hours away, why don't we drive out there more often? We need to.



****I was trying to find more pictures of all of us together. I didn't take my camera on this trip, like the dork that I am, I forgot, so these were taken on Jeff's camera and sent to me. But in my search to find good fun pics of all of us together in the past, I didn't find any, I found these.....very enjoyable, I thought.

this is Dave climbing in the doggie door at our old house, he fit


this is Calvin trying to climb through the doggie door in our old house, he didn't fit....and I'm pretty sure Dave just kicked him in the head.