Anchorage - Michelle Shocked
I was so excited to have CP, SA, PA, and LA come out to visit and meet miss M. The last time I saw CP I was complaining about my pregnancy vericous veins. The last time I saw The Austins, LA was a month old, though we were fast friends I was pretty jazzed to get to catch up and get to know her all over again. We made a connection but, as always, Ginger stole into the hearts of our guests. Never ones to disappoint, we had a good weekend. It was fun to watch the girls play, to watch miss M taken by everything. I was taken by the chance to introduce my girl to two of my old college roomies; part of a group I spent many late nights with in Tucson.
We started things off by celebrating MH's new year at La Loma. I finally got the memo that hanging out with new and old friends is fun
(as opposed to hording time with my out of town friends all for myself).
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| DE rockin' the Dora glasses while LA looks straight out of Top Gun |
Saturday we found ourselves hiking Elk Meadow, a personal favorite. LA was a trooper and when M would have no more of her backpack, LA gladly hopped in to provide Mr. Maillet with a head massage while he carried her
(until she crashed out from a long days work) I think this is where D cooked up his affinity with LA: after they left, all he could talk about was what a cute little lady she is.
(M caught a ride in my dooting arms for a good chunk of the trek - I have to break this crush I have on the old girl and let other do some heavy lifting now and again).
Saturday night our SUPER COOL friends offered to cook curry dinner
(strong-armed into it by one pushy hostess) and also wash our dirty bottles - GD it was a good night.
While that was going down, we took the chance to bathe those people under 3 feet. What a trip to bathe my girl while SA bathed LA
(wasn't it just yesterday we were sitting in the black room at 812?!)
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| life is beautiful |
Not to worry, we managed to laze away the days too. Still we fit in a motorcycle montage....
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| (it's all I can do not to post the series of photos of SA fastening CP's helmet on for her) |
We fell victims to naps
(not so much SA's naps but rather the girl's naps). It provided nice downtime before the BBQ D worked all day to make a raving success. Good thing he didn't leave it to me: we would all have been sitting around a presentation of chips and salsa, flank steak, and pizza rolls.
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| Dig Gingy stealing the show... |
Monday morning came too fast. We thought Snooze was a good way to "go out".
Afterwards, a trip to the REI flagship seemed semi appropriate. We stopped to watch the happenings on the Platte before we left.
It’s always good to get together and, though I like to try to roll out the red carpet, it’s also so easy to have old roomies visit. They just know how I look without a bra or any makeup. There’s just that amount less to worry about (and that’s a good amount). Time spent during the day is always fun or adventurous somehow but secretly I look forward to the nights. To the hours when the guys drift off, when the babies have long since gone down (and in my case, I’m staring down the barrel of waking up before I even get to sleep); I wouldn’t trade those late nights: those silly discussions or the serious ones, the laughter and the tears. It’s always so honest. The older I get, the magic of nights like that seem a little further out of reach. Oh yes, they still do happen, the music is still there to remind of what was and also how wonderful it is right at the very moment, but they aren't the every weekend, or random Tuesday nights, or the last day before Christmas break...
... but they do still include bunions! haha
When I find myself surrounded by friends I’ve know for almost 17 years, I’m reminded that life whispers secrets about who we were, who we are, who we want to be, and who knows what pieces of us. We get the chance to reminisce about the different memories we cradle and create new ones to add to the cache.
