Saturday, July 26, 2008

Friends and Family

We had 10 children and 6 adults staying in our home last night. My brother Morgan and his wife Elizabeth and their 3 kids, our mutual friends Karsen and Kevin and their four little girls. Karsen and I were friends in college when Jon and I met. She recently moved into my brother's ward and is my sister in law's visiting teaching companion. I know. Small world.

Karsen and I have coincidentally had children at the same general time and they have all been girls. Our kids met for the first time 2 months ago. It was so fun to spend time with them and let the kids get better acquainted. It was also fun to see her little Emma walking. She is just a few weeks younger than Camille and wasn't walking when we last saw her. Camille hadn't started walking yet either.

Karsen worried how I would feel around Emma. Actually, I loved seeing her. I wish she knew me well enough to come to me and give me a hug. When I saw her walking I thought to myself, "Someday I will see Camille do that too and it will be all the sweeter for the wait."

Today has been a sweet day. We had our friends watch all 10 kids, while Jon and I and Morgan and Elizabeth joined my 3 other siblings and their spouses and my parents at:
We went to visit our chef friend Chris at the Bouchon Bistro. He gave us the royal treatment, and after around 20 desserts, we all left on a serious sugar high.

Here are a few of the carmel popcorn bags he sent home with us.

It was so wonderful to have the complete family all around the table in a circle enjoying each other and the wonderful food. I love my family. When we got home our company all packed up and headed out to home. Then within an hour our friends Daleen and Leonard and their 4 kids arrived to spend the week with us.

Daleen, my sister in law Nikki, and I treated ourselves to a pedicure.
Now we are about to head out to dinner.

Family and friends are a comfort to me. They lift me up and make me smile. Thank you to all of you friends who buoy me up. Friend from the past, and friends I haven't ever met. I appreciate you all.