(You all know how much I love to be thought of as funny and amusing but humor requires poking fun at people and I just don’t have it in me this morning because thinking of my trip fills me with thoughts of happiness, gratitude, delight and warmth which don’t really lend themselves to "laugh out loud funny", if you know what I mean. So here goes . . .)
I learned something very important on my trip to Utah. People are better in person. Period. (Except, I suspect, for me.) I had the privilege of meeting a goodly number of bloggy friends over the weekend and I must say they all are better looking, thinner, (even Melinda--you'll know what I mean when you see her photo) and generally more wonderful in every way than they appear in photos. Even those few who were a bit different than I supposed (partly due to lack of photos on their blog) they were even BETTER than I had imagined. Oh, what delightful women my blog friends are! I was thrilled to have the means to feed them Krispy Kremes (especially since that delicious establishment has pulled up stakes and fled the area in which I dwell) and the foresight to plan lunch with as many of them as could come along.
As I sat and watched their faces in animated conversation, faces I had formally only known in flat, one-dimensional online photos, I thought how dear and familiar each face was and how wonderful it was to see them in movement and to hear their voices. It truly was a beautiful thing.
My only regret is that I didn’t get pictures of the ladies I met up with Sunday night and that the photos I did get are not the best. (I blame my middle aged camera.)
I also failed to get photos of me with my sister, cousins, aunts and uncles with whom I visited on this same trip. I feel sooooooo bad about that!
Here are the photos I did manage to get:
Karen of Kazzy's Ponderings, Jana of Divergent Pathways, Eowyn of Refracted Light, me, Barbara of Barbaloot Suit, (how cute is she?!?!) Melinda of Banter, Buffoonery and Bloggy Blather, Julie of Youngbloods4ever
Back row: Heather of Goddess in Progress, Julie, Val of Livin' La Vida Utah, Angi of Funky Bag Freak, Kristina of Pulsipher Predilections, Front row: Wendy of No Botox Allowed, Melinda, me, Jana and Karen
I stole this photo from Val of the South. It's a little over-exposed but I like it esp since it shows my cool color coordinated bag with my cool coordinated clothes that match Miss D. (I'm so vain.)Note that crazy Spock-like eyebrow. I blame Spock, the one of Classic Trek fame, who, when I was four year old, I wanted to emulate. It's a scary thought.
Kristina was kind enough to bring her Snuggie. Julie was all over it! Note the man in the background which is a statue, not someone peering through the window. He shows up again later.
Here is cute Julie demonstrating the largesse of the Snuggie.
Please go to Melinda's blog and view her profile picture. Are they like two completely different people? I love to read your blog, Melinda, but you had us all fooled into thinking you were something other than the totally sweet petite gal you truly are! And that baby is something else! He was a perfect gentleman except when he was snogging anyone who ventured too close.
I know this picture probably won't be Heather or Wendy's favorite but it shows so well what fun gals they are!
Angi of Funky Bag Freak made this bag she is holding! Is it not darling?
I really like to take candid pictures. This one shows how much fun we had visiting with each other.
After lunch, Kristina very kindly drove me back to the home of Roxanne/Happiness Is A Choice (who put me up for four days and nights and drove me around wherever I needed to go because she is my cousin and had no choice--the woman is a saint!) I think I scared Kristina a bit with my airhead ways (in my defense, I was super duper tired and hyped up on sugar and wheat) but she drove me all the way to the front door anyway. (Thanks Kristina! It was SO fun to meet you!)
After a nap, I then went to the lovely, art-filled home of Jana/Charrette of Divergent Pathways and enjoyed chatting with the ladies of both Jana’s and Karen of Kazzy’s Ponderings book groups for a night of Miss D revelry. These were smart as-a-whip ladies and had very good questions, allowing me to talk at length about my favorite subject---Miss D! (It used to be me but Miss D is way more fun and interesting.) Before the ladies came, I enjoyed a delicious dinner made by Karen and Jana, a very special event which was also attended by Jana's sister (of Molly fame). Once the other ladies arrived, even more delicious food appeared. Yum! (Is it any wonder that I gained five pounds whilst I was in Utah?)
One of the biggest surprises of the evening was seeing a friend of mine that I hadn’t talked to in six years. We nursed our babies together in the mother’s lounge at church when we attended the same ward more than a dozen years ago. I didn’t even know she had moved to Utah and since she hadn’t had a chance to read the book yet, she didn’t realize the book being discussed that evening was written by moi so she was as surprised as I was! (Amy, you are just as beautiful as ever!) It was so fun to catch up with her and to enjoy the warmth and friendship extended by each of these wonderful ladies.
Sunday night, I had the chance to visit with Laura/L.T. Elliot of Dreams of Quill and Ink, Carolyn of Paper and Parchment, Kim of Temporary?Insanity and Eowyn of Refracted Light. How truly beautiful, wonderful, talented and delightful these ladies are! I could have talked with them forever but losing my voice and not being able to keep my eyes open put a bit of a damper on things. Thanks so much for driving out to see me (Kim came all the way from Canada! Okay, I admit, she didn't come all of that way to see me but I am so glad she made time for me on her schedule while she was in Utah).
The only thing that would have made this weekend better would be if ALL of my bloggy friends could have been there. Those of you who didn’t make it (or who live far too far away to have even planned on coming) was deeply missed. One day we will have a HUGE party and meet everyone face to face. I guess that’s why they call it Heaven.
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