The Green Invasion...and Other Visits

Last weekend, the Greens, who call Mississippi their home, dropped in for a visit.  Bonnie, Chris, Hadley and Hudson.  Hadley quickly informed me when I opened the door to welcome them inside, "Mama has a baby in her belly," so, God willing, next time they visit, there will be five of them!

I met my bestie Bonnie in our University days at a PEF meeting.  We were in New Jersey.  Bonnie's parents were in California.  Chris was not yet her husband, but he hailed from Chicago.  I lived in Washington.  We didn't know where we'd end up after University, and indeed, the thumbtacks marking our homes on a map were placed far apart.  In a streak of good fortune, Bonnie's parents relocated/retired to the Tri-Cities.  This is significant because it means that Bonnie and Chris make their way to Washington at least once a year to visit her parents.  And, even better, Bonnie almost always coordinates a visit with me--whether it be her inviting me to join her parents for one of Bonnie's mom's culinary feasts at the house in Tri-Cities, or, Bonnie and Chris making the trek to Cle Elum to visit me! 

Last weekend was the latter.  And for me, it was fabulous.  We fed carrots to the horses...

And to the dogs.  Hudson remains partial to the dogs.

Children picked daffodils,

And, we painted, and colored, and played.

And enjoyed all of the interactions of a big sister and her little bro...

Hudson quickly figured out who could be trusted....and who wouldn't fight with him over crayons or toys.

Hudson loved the dogs.  He would bring them books and sit down beside them as if expecting them to read him a story.

After a good night's sleep (well, for some of us), we walked around Suncadia....

The Green invasion was a welcome one, and a beautiful reminder of the gift of good friends, and the promise of good families.



I love you, Bonnie Green Jeans and family!  Thanks for the visit for the much needed fix of young'ns.  Think that will do me (in) until I visit my niece and nephew!

*****
The sadness of the Greens' departure was softened by a road trip the next day to Pullman to visit my Dad and Sandy.

Dad gave us a tour of the finer (i.e., engineering, facilities, and operationally-related aspects) of WSU.  He also was perceptive enough to see that we actually were more interested in seeing the other aspects of WSU and, among other things, took us to see the Grizzly Bears, including several giant adults and four little bitties! We had lunch at Zeppos (where I later discovered I had left my wallet), we visited and caught up, we watched a couple episodes of "The Viriginian," and almost best of all, we had ice cream at Ferdinand's.

The WORST part--I didn't take any pictures.  Pictures with family are the kind that you cherish and hold on to.  Yet, I didn't take any.  I tried to take one of us in the rain eating ice cream cones in front of Ferdinand's but the camera was finicky and needed adjustment, and it was cold and rainy, and I just said, regrettably, "next time."

The BEST part--not taking any pictures while we were there means we will have to go back soon....