Day 6 (well, yesterday)

Yesterday was SO fun! I had a chance to hang out with Lorie & Henry for most of the afternoon and had the best time.

After sleeping in until 9-ish (YAY!), I headed out to the sticks where the Chamblesses live in their gorgeous and comfortable home just in time for Henry to wake up from his nap. He was a little shy at first (who isn't right after a long nap?) and wouldn't take his eyes off of me ("who is this chick? and what's she doing here?"). But after a little while he warmed up and was a total joy for the rest of the afternoon. Lorie says he was on his best behavior, and I think she was relieved to have such a content baby for the afternoon. We met David for lunch at Sequoia Sandwich Company for really yummy sandwiches (and a healthy heaping of carrot cake!). We even ate outside as the sun is still shining brightly, but the temperature has dropped considerably to be in the comfortable 70's. I love this brother/sister combo...they're so honest, so real, so funny, but with so much love. It was a real treat to spend time with both of them and see the truly amazing sibling bond they have developed together. It was also SO good to see David (who I'm pretty sure I haven't seen since M&M's wedding 4 years ago...and even then, only briefly). We were friends through church from elementary school through high school and even moved up to Seattle at the same time but lost touch. Yet, it feels as though little time has passed (don't you love it when that happens?).

After lunch, Lorie & the shrimp and I headed to Target (fun!) to have a look around. We managed somehow to leave the store without purchasing anything, which I consider a triumph...I don't know that I've ever left Target without getting something. By the way, Henry was a complete angel all the way through lunch and through the store. Being on his best behavior must've worn him out completely because on the way back to the Chambless home he passed out. That gave Lorie and I some time to just hang out and have a chit chat, getting caught up on each other's lives and just enjoying each other's company. I decided that Lorie is a truly amazing woman...managing a family and a household, participating actively in their church, maintaining close ties with her friends, and actually accomplishing a career that she is so passionate about. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little green with envy by the time I said goodbye.

I immediately hopped on the phone with my husband and told him that he was in big trouble.
He asked, with trepidation, "Uh, why? What'd I do?"
I replied, "Nothing. It's just that I caught the fever this afternoon."
"What fever?" he asked.
"Of the baby persuasion."
"Oh. Well, good luck with that."

I'm so excited that I'll have another opportunity to see this lovely family this week as I'll be crashing their weekly family dinner with Uncle Dave on Thursday where I'll also be able to meet Christie & Sam, and visit with old friends Mark, Sarah Jane & Ryan. Yay! It's about time for my 10 year high school reunion, and these are the folks I'd most want to see anyway.

It's times like these when I think I could really live in Bakersfield again, in a community filled with good friends from my past who knew me when I was younger (and still like me!) and love me today. But then I get in my car which is 95 degrees on a 75 degree day and remember why my body won't let me live here. I think I might be allergic to the sun...

Thanks, Lorie Henry & David for a really lovely afternoon! I love you guys!