West Coast Friends

I'm still going to go back and finish blogging my visit with Kim and the rest of our autumn activities, but while I sort through those pictures, here are a few from a visit with friends this week.  Heather, David and Claire were on the East Coast for a wedding (they're Californians) and drove many hours to have a quick visit with us.  We so appreciate it and it was a great time!  Heather and I went to law school together and had a special bond for many reasons, not the least of which was during the first day of classes our eyes met and we realized we had already met when interviewing for a scholarship at Pepperdine Law School during our senior year of college.  (And for the record, we both got it and obviously both turned it down...we had a good laugh about the fact that we said no to full rides in exchange for a rather expensive education, not that we regret it!)  We both were feeling lonely and overwhelmed (well, I was) and it was such a relief to see her.  When I told my mom that we had connected she cried because she was so happy since she knew I was on the verge of a breakdown. We had an intense law school experience together which included all the normal academic rigors, attending Tenth Pres together, helping to reinvigorate Christian Legal Society at Penn and last, but definitely not least, helping each other to plan weddings (I married Andy after our second year and she married David after our third year).  It was the first time I met her sweet little girl, Claire, and the first time she met Avonlea.  Claire was smart as a whip and so pretty with the most beautiful blue eyes.  We're hoping to see them on the East Coast again or maybe even make a trip out to their neck of the woods.

 

I wanted to get a picture of the three of them together, but the rocks were too much of a distraction.

 

 

Another failed attempt at taking a picture of all three of them...Avonlea had already dived off the couch before I could snap.  (Heather has a nice camera and takes lovely pictures so hopefully she managed to get a couple better pictures I can swipe!)

It felt a bit miraculous that we were able to get a picture of all the girls together with everyone looking in the general direction of the camera!